Does he make you happy?
by LoneGypsy
Summary: Hanna and Caleb might have broken up but she'll always keep him in her heart. Years later, she's moved on with someone else and started a family. Everything is perfect until Caleb comes knocking on her door again.
1. Mine

**MINE**

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_"A man is like a novel: until the very last page you don't know how it will end. Otherwise it wouldn't be worth reading."_  
_― Yevgeny Zamyatin_

* * *

Her head rested on his bare chest, only a sliver of the white cotton sheet separated their otherwise naked bodies. She traced the raised skin on his sternum marking where a bullet had pierced his spleen. She still felt the guilt for everything Caleb had done to protect her, all of the sacrifices he made to keep her safe. Then she remembered all the times he had walked away. A tear escaped her eyes and slithered down her cheek landing square on Caleb's chest.

His fingers were tangled in her tousled blonde hair and he watched her breasts rise and fall with every breath she took. It had been a long time since he held her like this. Every day since he had last seen her, he dreamt of being with her again. Being in the same bed and breathing the same air.

He knew the risks when he marched up to that oak wood door. He stood on the porch steps and took a deep breath before tapping the bronze knocker in front of him. Nothing happened at first. He tapped again. The door finally opened and he saw Hanna standing in front of him. Her blonde hair now longer and slightly darker landed just below her shoulders. She had the same pink lips and sparkling eyes but he could tell she wasn't the same anymore. Something had changed.

"Caleb," she breathed when she saw him there, after more than a decade apart.

He looked the same. A little taller maybe and he jawline more defined. His eyes had a darkness that emanated, probably from the secrets he had discovered in Ravenswood. But he was standing in front of her, flesh and blood. She wanted more than anything to turn the clock back to a time before they ever set in foot in Ravenswood, before they learned of secrets that ruined any happiness they had ever experienced.

Ravenswood and Ali were all a part of her past and she had managed to move on slowly but surely. The last thing she needed was Caleb standing on her doorstep and reuniting her with the memories she had worked so hard to suppress. She moved to close the door in his face, not wanting to revisit that road, but Caleb held up a strong arm against the door.

"Wait," he pleaded. "Let me explain..."

"You can't," she replied. "Caleb...I can't...I just can't..."

It pained him to see her like this, hating him. He had rehearsed his words during the drive to her address. He had even considered turning around and abandoning this retched plan nearly a dozen times, but just the thought that he might see her one more time gave him the strength to keep going. Now, as she stood in front of him, he forgot every poetic line he had imagined would allow her to forgive him. He had no words but still, he knew exactly what to do.

Caleb threw back the heavy door leaving a dent in the wall. His arm slid around her waist and he cupped her cheek in his hand before shattering the space between them as his lips met hers. She looped her arms around his neck like a reflex and pressed him against the wall throwing all caution to the wind.

They fit together like a puzzle, like nothing had changed in the many years they had spent apart. They knew each other better than they knew themselves. In a matter of seconds she was peeling off his tight black t-shirt. He reciprocated by unbuttoning her blouse and leaving a trail of warm kisses along her exposed breasts. She giggled at the tickling sensation and dug her fingers into his hair to suppress her moans. He laughed. He loved making her feel loved.

In a brief moment of sobriety, Hanna remembered the open door and the neighbors outside casually strolling by. She slammed the door shut and Caleb pinned her against the solid wood. He kicked aside the delicate pairs of children's tennis shoes by the front door and lifted Hanna into his arms. As they stumbled into the guest suite, Caleb ignored the family portraits hanging above the fireplace and the platinum ring on Hanna's finger that occasionally snagged on a lock of his hair.

He fell back onto the bed bringing her down with him. Then rolled over so she was wedged between his legs. Hanna slithered out of her skirt and gave into Caleb against her better judgment. He looked her dead in the eye with a tender passion that made her feel safe again. She bit her lip tugging at his belt buckle. Caleb understood her message and kicked off his jeans. From there, everything became a blur of tangled limbs to Hanna.

Now she laid in bed next to the man she imagined spending her life with. But she was with someone else, someone who loved her and cared about her nearly as much as Caleb did. They had built a life together and in one afternoon Hanna had ruined it all by falling back in with the past. Suddenly his hand stroking her hair, which had once been comforting, now felt like ticking time bomb. Her flushed cheeks were like a red A emblazoned on her face. She felt sick.

"Why now?" she said finally.

"What do you mean?" Caleb asked.

"Why now?" she repeated. "Why today? Why did you even come here at all?"

"I needed to see you," he said finally.

"And the past ten years?" she asked. "You couldn't have come to see me then. Maybe I needed you once, but not anymore."

"Let me just explain," he said calmly. "We can get a coffee or something and catch up."

"No," she laughed throwing the sheets off. "It's too late for that. You need to go."

"Han?" he shook his head in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"This was a mistake!" she yelled at him. "You should never have come here!"

"I'm sorry," he sighed as he collected his clothes from the floor. "I never meant to..."

"Just go," she bit back tears.

She watched the front door slam behind him. She locked the door and knelt down to rearrange her children's shoes. Then a stream of tears flooded down her face and she collapsed into a heap against the wall. _It was a mistake_. Hanna couldn't allow herself to go back to that place and dwell on what her life would have been with Caleb. They had a chance to be together but he'd ruined it and it was too late to go back now.


	2. Didn't They

**DIDN'T THEY**

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_"There is no real ending. It's just the place where you stop the story."_  
_― Frank Herbert_

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Miranda sat on the edge of Caleb's bed flipping through an old leather bound journal she had found in the attic. Next to her, Caleb was lying on top of the covers fast asleep. She glanced over and watched as his chest rose and fell with every breath. He let out a series of dull snores and a smile crossed her face. He was usually so strong and protective but she loved seeing him this vulnerable. It was like visiting a rare creature in a zoo.

"Hanna," he breathed stirring in his sleep.

It threw Miranda off guard. She knew everything about the Haleb saga. Being a ghost gave her a lot of free time, most of which was utilized as Caleb's bouncing board. She knew he felt guilty talking about her, but he didn't have anyone else to confide in. Plus Miranda still felt guilty for causing a rift between them. This was her chance to try and make amends.

"Hanna please," he whispered in between snores.

Miranda stroked his hair trying to calm his nightmares, but instead the chill from her lifeless form shot through him waking Caleb up. He sat up with a start shook his head.

"What's going on?" he asked her.

"Sorry," she sighed. "You were having a nightmare. I shouldn't have..."

"No," he laughed. "It's okay. It's just weird, I don't even remember..."

"You kept calling out Hanna's name," Miranda told him.

"Oh," he bit his lip. "Sorry."

"It's okay," Miranda replied. "She obviously means a lot to you."

They sat in silence for a few moments before Miranda cleared her throat.

"You know," she paused, "maybe it's time you go back to her. Abandon this whole mystery and get the hell out of Ravenswood. Get Hanna back and go somewhere safe."

"I can't just leave you here," he told Miranda.

"You can't leave Hanna either," she said. "I'll be fine. You can come visit and tell me where you are. Maybe I'll find you and we'll both be safe."

"It's not a good idea," he said. "If I go back to her, I might lose you forever."

"Caleb, please," she sighed. "I'm dead. You can't put your life on hold to save a ghost. I don't want to be the reason that you and Hanna break up. Besides, if you stay here any longer, you might end up like me."

"Miranda, it's not simple," he told her.

"Go," she told him boldly. "Get her back. I won't stand in your way."

With that, Miranda disappeared. Caleb shuddered and leaned back against the pillow. He hated how Miranda could come and go as she pleased. He sometimes wondered where she disappeared to and he wished he could follow her, but he knew it wasn't his time yet.

* * *

The following morning Caleb woke up to find the room still empty. He called out Miranda's name but she never appeared. The next five days were exactly the same. He had no idea where she was hiding, but he knew she wouldn't contact him again until he followed her orders. A week went by and he knew it was time to return to Rosewood. He couldn't solve the mystery without Miranda's help and she was insistent on protecting him from his fate.

He set out first thing on Monday. The drive back to Rosewood was grim as fog covered the road. He could hardly see a few feet in front of him. Finally he arrived in the familiar town and drove past the small shops and cottages. He followed the familiar road and pulled up in front of the white colonial. Caleb cut the engine and took a deep breath. There was still time to turn back. He knew himself and if he went back for Hanna now, he wouldn't have the strength to leave this time. He opened the car door but stopped when he heard the low roar of an oncoming car.

A silver truck came up the winding road and stopped in front of Hanna's white picket fence. Caleb read the decal on the side but he didn't need to. He knew exactly who the driver was. Caleb slunk down in his seat and watched as Travis jumped out of the truck. He swung his keys around his finger and skipped up to the porch. Caleb sat frozen in the front seat, his heart beating fast. He was torn between getting out and clocking Travis in the jaw, or simply driving away before his worst fears were confirmed.

The red door to the colonial opened and Hanna stepped onto the porch. She had the same blonde hair and crystal eyes but she seemed to radiate like she was glowing from the inside. Caleb had never seen her look more beautiful. But his heart was shattered in a million pieces when he saw her hug Travis. They exchanged words but Caleb couldn't hear a thing. Then he noticed. In a moment his greatest fears were confirmed and faced a far worse image than he had even imagined.

Hanna carefully followed Travis to his truck, all the while resting her hand on her distended belly. It was unmistakable. She was pregnant and she had moved on without Caleb. His eyes filled his tears and he bit his lip to keep from crying. She had put on an excellent performance being jealous of Miranda but she obviously didn't need him anymore. Maybe he was a masochist, but he couldn't rip away his gaze. He watched Travis carefully help her into the front seat. Then they drove away leaving Caleb to wipe his tears on his sleeve.

He was livid. He gunned the car and sped back to Ravenswood swearing to never think of Hanna again. His hatred spread to Miranda too. Why did she insist on letting him get his heart broken once again? He should have stayed in Ravenswood and met his fate, just like his ancestors did. He would rather face a cruel supernatural death than have seen than relive the scene in front of Hanna's house.

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**I want to apologize in advance because this story may be hard to follow. It starts in medias res and follows a nonlinear narrative. It took me a long time to plan it out but I promise it will make sense once it's complete. If you have trouble keeping it straight, my inbox is always open. I'm always happy to clarify and I may even let you in on a little trick to help piece the story together. Enjoy!  
**


	3. You Belong With Me

**YOU BELONG WITH ME**

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"_Endings to be useful must be inconclusive."  
― Samuel R. Delany_

* * *

Hanna fastened the buckle on Emma's car seat. The toddler fidgeted with the restraint but ultimately settled down when she was handed a pink stuffed bear. In the seat next to her, Robbie kicked his legs in anticipation of the drive. He was furiously playing his video games in a desperate attempt to finally make it to the next level. Hanna made sure they were both strapped in tight and then hurried into the front seat.

"Ready?" Travis smiled.

"Yupp," Hanna replied as he gunned the car and pulled out of the driveway.

They were prepared for a long road trip. Hanna had packed snacks for the kids and loaded up on bottled water. It was only a two hour drive, but the kids had never gone on a long trip before. They had considered leaving the kids with her mom and taking the trip alone, but she thought it was time they took a trip as a family. If the kids fared well, maybe she would finally take them to that theme park they've been begging for.

"It was really nice of Spencer to lend us her cabin," Travis told her.

"Yeah," Hanna replied. "Remind me to send her a bottle of wine or something."

"So," Travis continued, "what else is there to do in this place?"

"Well," she racked her brain to try and remember. "There's a lake. Maybe we can take the kids out on the speed boat. Do you know how to drive one of those?"

"Do _I _know how to drive a speed boat?" he scoffed. "How long have we been married?"

"Sorry," she laughed. "I'll make sure to ask Spencer where the boat keys are."

"Guys!" Travis called to the back seat. "Do you guys want to go on a boat?"

"Yeah!" came a chorus of squeals. "Boat! Boat! Boat! Boat!"

"Okay," Hanna smiled. "We get it. We're taking the boat out."

The kids finally calmed down and returned to their toys as Travis drove them the rest of the way. They were close to the cabin when they came across a small strip mall. Hanna pulled out her shopping list while Travis got the kids out of the car and loaded them into the shopping cart. Hanna did her best to load up the cart with healthy food for their vacation but she caved and picked up some treats for the kids. When they were done, they finished the last leg to the cabin and arrived in the late afternoon.

"Wow!" Robbie said running into the house. "This place is cool."

"Like it?" Hanna asked.

"Ike it!" Emma repeated as Hanna placed her on the ground.

"Why don't you guys pick out some rooms," Hanna said.

"I get this one!" Robbie said climbing up the ladder to the attic.

"Bud," Hanna called out. "It's just a storage room. You're better off on the couch."

She glanced at the loveseat facing the fireplace. For a second she remembered the events of a night fifteen years ago but quickly shook it out of her head. She couldn't let herself dwell on the past. Her life was better now.

"Babe," Travis slipped a hand around her waist. "I think I found our room."

"Oh yeah?" she smirked.

"Yupp!" He lifted her into his arms. Hanna squealed the entire way.

"Put me down!" she kicked and screamed as the kids cheered loudly.

"Fine," he laughed laying her down gently in the guest bedroom.

"Really?" she sat up. "This room?"

"It's perfect," he told her. "No shared walls. The kids won't hear us."

"They won't hear us what?" she asked.

"You know," he winked.

"Honey," Hanna caressed his cheek. "This isn't that kind of trip. Otherwise we would have left the kids with my mom."

"Are you sure I can't convince you?" he pleaded.

"Maybe later," she winked.

Then she rolled off the bed and stood up before going back into the living room. Robbie was playing with his video games and Emma had broken into the bag of marshmallows. Hanna couldn't help but smile.

"Okay guys," she told them, "we are on vacation. That means no video games, no cell phones, no TV. We are going to spend time together like a family."

She heard a few scattered groans and then crossed her arms like all mothers do when they mean business. Robbie handed her his video game and Hanna took it graciously. She dropped it in a drawer with her cell phone. Then she looked at Travis. He took the cue and begrudgingly handed over his own mobile.

"Good," she smiled. "Now we can have some real fun. Robbie. Help me unpack the groceries."

"Fine," he sighed dragging his feet into the kitchen.

Between the two of them, everything was stored away in a few minutes. When they were done, she folded up the paper bags and then reached into the fridge to grab a box of popsicles. She handed one to Robbie who immediate unwrapped it. Then she took a couple more and walked into the living room where Travis was helping Emma sort her blocks.

"Red or green?" she asked Travis.

"Green?" he raised an eyebrow.

She handed him a popsicle and unwrapped one for herself. Then she picked up Emma and sat her on her lap.

"Do you want some?" she asked the toddler. Emma nodded.

"Wed!" Emma reached for the treat.

"It's cold," Hanna warned her as she delicately brushed it against Emma's lip.

The little girl made a horrified face and Hanna laughed.

"I told you it was cold," Hanna replied.

"More!" Emma said clapping her hands. Hanna obliged. This time Emma's face didn't sour. She licked her lips tasting the sweet treat.

"You like it?" Hanna asked. Emma nodded.

"I think you scared her," Travis told her.

"She's fine," Hanna replied. Then she turned to Robbie. "So, what do you want to do?"

"I wanna go on a boat!" he jumped up and down.

"Alright buddy," Travis picked him up. "Let's go find the boat."

Hanna smiled and held Emma to her chest. She followed Travis out to the boat house and watched as he dragged open the wooden door of the shed and grabbed a couple of life vests. He helped Robbie into one and then handed another to Hanna. With little effort, Emma slipped into the orange vest and then Hanna placed her on the ground where she stumbled around trying to finish her popsicle.

In that moment, Hanna watched her little family and she knew she was the luckiest girl in the world. Every hurdle she had overcome in her thirty years on this planet had made her stronger, and somehow karma had repaid her with a happy family.

* * *

**This is a very important chapter but I know you guys want to get to the Haleb stuff so, I'm offering a proposition. If I get 10 reviews by tonight, you get a new chapter. How does that sound? If I don't get the ten reviews, you'll have to wait on the next chapter BUT, if you review, add me as a connection in your DocX and I'll send you sneak peeks from time to time!  
**

**I'm also kind of curious about how you guys are finding this story. I have my own ideas when I write it, but honestly, I think you can interpret it however you like. That being said, I'd love to hear your predictions and find out how you guys WANT the story to end!**


	4. Breathe

**BREATHE **

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"_Ends are not bad things, they just mean that something else is about to begin. And there are many things that don't really end, anyway, they just begin again in a new way. Ends are not bad and many ends aren't really an ending; some things are never-ending."  
― C. JoyBell C._

* * *

Hanna stood in her bedroom desperately trying to button her red skinny jeans. She sucked in her bloated stomach and nearly triumphed but finally gave up. She ripped off the pair and discarded them in a pile with the other three pairs she had tried on.

"At least I shaved this morning," she mused aloud grabbing a floral skater dress from her closet.

She pulled the dress on over her head and made a silent vow to herself to end the post breakup binge eating. She wouldn't allow herself to turn into Hefty Hanna again just because Caleb broke up with her. In fact, she had already gained four pounds and she wasn't about to let herself go. She picked up her purse and then her gym bag as a secret reminder to herself that she needed to hit the gym after school. Then she got in her car and made it just in time for homeroom.

"Hey!" Emily tapped her shoulder as Ezra read out the announcements.

"Yeah?" Hanna turned around.

"Aria's dad is in Syracuse," Emily told her. "We're going to her house tonight to keep her company. After the whole thing with Ezra..."

"Uh yeah," Hanna nodded. "I'm hitting the gym after school but I'll meet you guys later."

"Thanks," Emily smiled. "Could you maybe bring over a bottle from your mom's cabinet?"

"Can't Spencer do that?" Hanna asked. "My mom is going to figure out something's up soon."

"I'll ask," Emily replied. "Maybe there's some at Aria's."

"Ladies," Ezra narrowed his gaze at them. "Care to share with the class?"

"No," Hanna shook her head. Ezra didn't let up.

"Sorry," Emily interrupted using the only ammunition she knew would get her off the hook. "Just asking Hanna if she could lend me a tampon."

"Oh," Ezra's cheeks flushed slightly.

Hanna smirked and high fived Emily under the desk. They definitely weren't going to give "board shorts" an easy time. The bell rang only minutes later and the girls grabbed their bags.

After school, Hanna drove to the gym. She grabbed her bag from the backseat and found her way to the locker room where she changed into a black lycra outfit. She found her favorite treadmill, plugged in her headphones and set off running. The anger from her breakup with Caleb and her recent epiphany that Ezra was "board shorts" served as excellent inspiration to keep running. She revved up the machine and ran faster hitting the balls of her feet hard against the conveyor belt.

She ran without hesitation until she had lost track of time. The sun started setting and the lights in the gym were amplified. Hanna looked at her phone. Shit. She was beyond late to meet the girls at Aria's. She hopped off the treadmill without her usual cool down and instantly felt lightheaded. She grabbed the machine for support and tried to steady herself. Then slowly she inched toward the lockers. The pungent smell of dirty gym clothes hit her like a wave and she instantly felt nauseated. She bolted for the closest stall and hunched over unleashing everything she had eaten that day. She flushed the toilet and stood up to wipe her mouth. She pressed her hand to her cool stomach pleased with her workout.

Once she regained her composure, she grabbed her towel from the locker and took a quick shower letting the warm water slide across her sweaty skin before lathering up. Minutes later, she was dressed again with her wet hair in a knot at the top of her head. She grabbed her things and hopped in her car before driving over the Aria's where the girls were scattered around the living room.

"Sorry I'm late," Hanna sighed opening the door.

"It's fine," Aria told her. "We were just talking."

"So," Hanna bit into an apple from the fruit bowl in the kitchen, "can we agree not to talk about A or boys or anything tonight?"

"I second that!" Emily raised her water glass.

"Well, I've come prepared," Spencer pulled out a stack of movies from her purse. She handed them to Aria. "The best of Hitchcock."

"No, you guys," Aria shook her head. "We don't have to watch this."

"I think you've rubbed off on me," Hanna told her. "I actually like his movies now. Did you see the special they did on him and Tippi Hedren? She was so glam."

"Yeah," Emily shrugged. "I don't really care what we do as long as we open that bottle Spencer brought."

"Em," Hanna laughed, "I love that you're a lush."

"Okay," Spencer smirked. "I've got a 1992 merlot. It's older than all of us. Or, good ol' tequila."

"I'll get the glasses," Aria said running to the kitchen.

She came back a few minutes later with four glasses stacked up as well as a tray of apple tarts which she placed on the coffee table. Hanna felt an overwhelming illness as the aroma of cream cheese and glazed apples filled her nose.

"I bake when I'm stressed," Aria said. "I was going to give them to Mike and his teammates but I figured we might want them after the booze kicks in."

Hanna took a series of deep breaths to try and fight the nausea. She thought about her recent weight gain and the scene in the gym. Then she tried to think back to the last time she...No, it couldn't be true. It was impossible.

"Han?" Spencer gave her a quizzical look. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Hanna lied. "I just thought I'd forgotten to turn in a paper. I didn't. Everything's good!"

"So shots?" Emily opened the bottle of tequila.

"I'm good," Spencer sipped her wine. Aria followed suit.

"I guess it's just you and me," Emily winked at Hanna.

The blonde racked her brain. Could she really be pregnant? She was feeling sick all over again.

"Uh none for me," Hanna replied. Emily raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, seriously," Aria teased. "What's going on with you?"

"I'm on a cleanse," Hanna saved herself at the last minute. "I gained four pounds since...you know who...left. No carbs until I lose the weight."

"Thank God," Spencer scoffed. "For a minute there, I thought you were pregnant."

"Nope," Hanna rolled her eyes. "Definitely not."

But in the back of her mind she knew there was something different and if, in fact, she was pregnant, A and 'board shorts' were suddenly the least of her problems. Moreover, she hadn't even considered breaking the news to Caleb.

* * *

**Okay, not specifically a Haleb chapter, but also a very important scene! As most of you have already guessed, it's pretty obvious that Caleb got her pregnant before he left for Ravenswood. But, as with all of my stories, there will be major twists and turns. Once again, ten reviews and I will post the next chapter immediately, which I promise is definitely sugary sweet Haleb.  
**

**Again, I know it's kind of confusing because the chronology is all over the place, but if you have trouble, you can always inbox me. Or, decide for yourself what order they belong in. This story is truly open to interpretation. In fact, it may all be a nightmare Caleb has before coming to his senses and going back to Rosewood ;)**


	5. Ours

**OURS**

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"_And will I tell you that these three lived happily ever after? I will not, for no one ever does. But there was happiness. And they did live."  
― Stephen King _

* * *

The gallery was buzzing with art enthusiasts milling about taking notes as they studied the marvelous sculptures and oil paintings. Hanna grabbed a glass of red wine from the tray being passed around and then sat down on a wooden bench. A few minutes later a tall dark-haired man wearing black square-framed glasses approached her.

"May I sit?" he asked her.

"Sure," she smiled. "You don't want to look at the artwork?"

"I'm looking at it," he replied his eyes gazing at her mesmerized by her beauty.

"Clever," she laughed.

"Can I buy you a drink?" he offered.

"It's an open bar," she laughed and picked up her glass from the floor. "Besides, I'm all set."

"A guy can try," he smirked. "Tell me. How am I doing?"

"Not bad," she sipped her wine. "So, are you a collector?"

"Of art?" he laughed. "No. I just come for the free booze."

"Speaking of," she finished off her drink. "I could use a refill."

"Well, there's a pub a few blocks down," he told her. "I'll buy the first round, but I have to warn you. I don't drink with strangers. Sooner or later you're going to have to tell me you're name."

"It's uh..." she glanced around the room and saw a beautiful painting of a crowded beach at sunset with smoke rising from bonfires and disappearing into the cold air. "Summer."

"Summer?" he shook her hand. "I'm...Jesse."

"Nice to meet you _Jesse_," she winked. "About this pub..."

"Follow me," he smiled.

He helped her to her feet and they stepped out into the cold air. She wrapped her red coat tighter around her waist and then followed him around the corner. He slid his fingers in between hers and a smile spread across her face as they stepped into the dimly lit pub. They took a table near the back and a waitress took their order almost immediately.

"So _Summer_," he held her hand. "What do you do?"

"I'm an artist," she replied.

"An artist?" he furrowed his brow.

"Yeah," she replied smugly. "That gallery we were just in. It's mine. I painted all of those."

"Summer the artist," he laughed. "You're very talented.

"Okay, you're turn," she nudged him. "What do you do?"

"A little of this, a little of that," he replied. "Mostly I race cars for a living."

"Oh, like Nascar?" she asked.

"No, not like Nascar," he explained. "Fancy cars. Like Ferraris."

"Wow," she bit her lip. "I've never met a fancy car driver."

"Are you mocking me?" he asked.

"A little," she laughed.

"That's gonna cost you," he told her.

He inched his face close to hers. She turned and felt his warm breath on her cheek. He moved a strand of hair away from her face and then pressed his lips against her mouth. His kiss was intoxicating, far more than the alcohol she had consumed. Then she pulled away. It took her a second to remember who she was.

"Sorry," she bit her lip. "I didn't want you to get the wrong impression. I don't give it up to guys I just met."

"But you forget," he told her. "We've met before."

"Caleb don't," she warned him. "You know the rules..."

"Hey," he pressed his finger to her mouth. "Tonight, it's Jesse."

"Right, Jesse," she repeated. "We haven't met before."

"But we have," he explained. "In my dreams."

"Oh no," she burst into laughter. "Really? That's your line? We've met in your dreams."

"What?" he laughed. Too corny?"

"I'm gonna need another drink if you keep pulling out lines like that," she teased.

"Okay," he cleared his throat. "How about a walk?"

"It's cold outside," she told him.

"I'll keep you warm," he assured her.

"Okay," she smiled.

He got up and paid the tab. Then he helped her back into her red coat and they stepped out into the cold night air. He took her hand as he had before and they made their way through town huddled for warmth. They talked about everything and nothing as they strolled past the brightly lit shops. She insisted on stopping every time she saw something sparkle. She was an artist after all, at least tonight she was. Then they came across a gift shop selling little trinkets. She bought a miniature sports car and presented it to him.

"For me?" he asked.

"So you remember tonight," she told him. "The night you were a driver and I was an artist. You're Jesse and I'm Summer."

"Trust me," he kissed her lips. "I will never forget this night."

"I should probably get home," she told him.

"Oh really?" he asked. "And where's home?"

"I live in a crappy apartment," she explained, "with too many roommates and a little terrier."

"Can I walk you?" he asked. "To this apartment."

"Sure," she took his hand. "It's very close."

He followed her as they approached an art deco building just a few blocks away. The light was on in the corner unit and it served as the only source of illumination on the street below.

"This is me," she said.

"Wait," he told her. "Don't go inside just yet."

He took her hand and led her into the dark alley separating her building from the one next to it. Nervously, she followed him into the black void where he pressed her up against the wall. Without stopping for a beat his lips were on hers and his hands were desperately unbuttoning her coat to gain access to the warm skin beneath her dress. They allowed themselves to escape into the world of Jesse and Summer before they reappeared on the sidewalk fully buttoned up once again.

"Thanks Jesse," she kissed his cheek, "for walking me home."

"Maybe we'll meet again someday," he winked. "Summer the artist."

He turned on his heel and whistled as he strolled down the street. She waited until he had turned the corner and then walked across the street to the underground station. She took the first train and arrived at her stop a few minutes later. She got off and walked the few blocks to her real home. She pulled out her keys and unlocked the front door. The little pairs of shoes were lined up neatly against the wall. The house smelled like freshly baked ginger snaps and she could see flashes from the television playing against the upstairs hallway. She locked the door and dropped her house keys in the tray. She hung up the red coat in the closet and shed the last bit of Summer. Here, she was Hanna, wife and mother of two.

* * *

**If you haven't noticed yet, I've been inspired by romcoms like 500 Days of Summer, Conversation with Other Women and the Linklater films so "Jesse" and "Summer" were kind of my way of paying tribute to the genre. Anyway, I hope you're liking it and stay tuned for a new chapter soon! **


	6. Love Story

**LOVE STORY**

* * *

"_The feeling is less like an ending than just another starting point."  
― Chuck Palahniuk _

* * *

Hanna readjusted the closure on her hospital gown. She sat up straighter in bed and fluffed up the pillows behind her. She was no stranger to hospitals. There was the time Mona, masquerading as A, ran her over with a car and the time Emily nearly free fell to her death in an elevator. Then of course, all the times Spencer was hospitalized. But this time was different. She was on the verge of becoming a mother.

"How's it going, sweetie?" Ashley asked handing her a cup of ice chips.

"It would be better if I wasn't on a diet that consisted purely of ice chips," Hanna retorted. "What I wouldn't do for a burger right now."

"Trust me," Ashley told her. "The baby does not want a burger. He just wants some fresh air."

Hanna nodded and rubbed her swollen stomach as another contraction pierced through her. This was definitely the worst one yet. But so far, she had said every time she endured through another one. They were getting progressively worse. That was how the whole thing worked.

"Maybe you should walk around a bit," Ashley told her. "They seem to be getting closer. You're probably going to have this baby tonight."

"Like tonight, tonight?" Hanna's mouth dropped open. She still had trouble wrapping her head around the fact that she was going to be a mother.

"Just get up," Ashley told her. "I'll help you."

"Thanks," Hanna took her mother's hands and steadied herself on the cold linoleum floors.

She paced the room a few times and then checked her cell phone. She had texted the girls to let her know she was in labor, but requested they not show up at the hospital. She knew they would worry and make a big fuss. She wanted to share this special moment with just Travis and her mother.

"Hey," Travis stood in the doorway holding a cup of coffee. "Did I miss the baby? Am I dad yet?"

"Shut up!" Hanna laughed. "You will know if there's a baby, and with that attitude, I don't even know if the little guy even wants to meet you."

"No, it's cool," Travis teased her. "He already told me, he likes me best."

"Oh yeah?" she raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure I know when you guys talk."

"We text sometimes," Travis assured her. "When you're sleeping. I put him on our friends and family plan."

"If you weren't so cute," Hanna scoffed, "I'd be pretty mad at you right about now."

Their jokes were cut short as she faced yet another contraction. Travis didn't hesitate to run to her side. She steadied herself by grasping the back of a chair and her free hand clutched Travis' fingers, squeezing the life out of him. He barely noticed. Seeing her in pain killed him. He held her upright by placing a strong hand on the small of her back. As the contraction subsided, he rubbed small circles across her back.

"Thank you," she rested her head on his chest. "Thanks for being here."

"You're a special girl, Hanna," he told her.

"You're not so bad yourself," she replied.

She lifted her face and kissed him. Ashley took the opportunity to silently excuse herself from the room. Then Travis placed his hands on either side of Hanna's protruding stomach.

"So," he smiled, "when do I finally get to meet the little guy. I have to say I'm a little jealous you guys got to spend so much time together without me."

"My mom thinks it will happen tonight," Hanna assured him. "But I thought he would have texted you by now with an ETA."

"Touche," Travis laughed.

"You know," Hanna sat back down on the bed. "We still haven't picked a name."

"Travis Jr," he rubbed her shoulders. "I thought that was a given."

"I don't think so," she replied. "I would get you guys confused."

"Excellent point," Travis replied.

"Alright miss Hanna," a nurse stood in the doorway. "It's time to check on the baby."

Travis stood to the side and waited patiently as the nurse helped Hanna lay down on the bed. The doctor was in shortly and made some remarks that Travis couldn't even pretend to comprehend. The nurse jotted some notes down and then the doctor looked up.

"It looks like it's time," he told her. "We are going to get you ready for the delivery."

Hanna was overwhelmed with emotions as a team of nurses hooked her up to various machines. Travis felt useless as he watched from the side but finally excused himself into the hallway to wait with Ashley.

"They said she's ready," he told her.

"So you're saying," Ashley paused, "I'm going to be a grandmother."

"It's exciting," he smiled weakly.

"Are you ready?" she asked him.

"Yeah," he told her. "I think I am."

The nurse stepped into the hallway and let them know that Hanna requested them in the delivery room. Travis practically ran to Hanna's side. He could see the fear in her face as the room crowded with strangers. He took her hand in his and she squeezed hard. He kissed her forehead.

"You're amazing," he told her.

"Thank you," she breathed.

The next hour was a whirlwind for the two of them. Nurses ran around the room hooking Hanna up to tubes and the doctor gave vague commands to his staff and to Hanna. All Travis knew was that he couldn't let go of her hand. When he finally did, it was only to hold his son in his arms.

"Hey Daddy," Hanna smiled at him.

"We're really doing this," Travis breathed.

"Yupp," Hanna replied. "He's all ours."

Travis looked at the infant wrapped up tightly in blankets. He was still and quiet. Travis watched his nostrils flare to make sure he was still breathing. He was so small and precious.

"Robert," Travis said finally. "He looks like a Robert."

"He does," Hanna smiled taking her son back in her arms. "I like it."

"I thought you were going to name him after me," Ashley teased.

"We don't want our kids getting made fun of, Mom," Hanna told her. "He's got Travis as a dad. Things are bad enough already."

"Really?" he laughed. "Already making fun of me in front of our kid."

Before Hanna could come up with a retort, a parade of her favorite faces came flooding into the room. Her best friends walked in carrying flowers and toys for their favorite newborn.

"I told you guys not to come!" Hanna said.

"We know what you really meant," Emily hugged her. "Plus we wanted to see the little guy."

"Thank you," Hanna smiled. "I love you guys."

* * *

**You guys are killing it with the reviews today so here's a new chapter! I hope you're starting to piece the story together, if not, you're probably more confused than ever. And for that, I apologize profusely. It will all come together eventually, and like I said, interpret it however makes you happy!  
**


	7. Treacherous

**TREACHEROUS**

* * *

"_He nods, as if to acknowledge that endings are almost always a little sad, even when there is something to look forward to on the other side."  
― Emily Giffin _

* * *

Hanna closed the door to Robbie's room and found Travis standing in the hallway with a scowl on his face. She twisted the ring around her finger and looked at him confused.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You nearly gave me a heart attack standing in the shadows."

"We need to talk," he told her sternly. "Downstairs."

"Okay," she followed him into the library where he closed the doors.

"I'm going to ask you a question," he told her, "and you better think carefully before you answer."

"Travis," she paused. "What is going on?"

"Are you having an affair?" he asked her point blank.

"Travis why would you...?" she trembled as she spoke.

"I said _think carefully_," he cut her off. "I need to know. Are you having an affair. Yes or no?"

"It's not what you think," she told him.

"Then explain to me," he told her. "Where were you when you told me you were going on vacation with Spencer?"

"Travis, you have to understand," she pleaded.

"Just tell me," he told her calmly. "I need to know."

"I wasn't with Spencer," she admitted. "I was with Caleb."

"How long has this been going on?" he asked her.

"Travis don't make me..." she bit back tears.

"I am not the bad guy here," he told her. "I need to know. Do you still love him?"

"Don't make me answer that," she replied. "I will always love him, but I chose you."

"You made a promise," he spat at her. "When you took that ring, you promised me that Caleb was out of your life forever. You chose me."

"I did, Travis," she reiterated. "I chose you. I love you!"

"Then tell me," he continued, "why are you going on secret vacations with Caleb?"

"I'm so sorry," she burst into tears and clutched his collar. "Travis, I am _so _sorry."

"Hanna," he held her gently. "What are you saying? What exactly are you sorry about?"

Tears streamed down her face and she couldn't talk. She couldn't tell him that she had broken the one promise she made to him, to their family. He held her for nearly an hour and just let her cry. She wanted to take back everything, all of the pain she had caused him. Travis was so good to her, in a way that Caleb had never been.

She and Caleb, they were like fire and ice. They loved and fought with passion. Their love was pure but dangerous, like the worse kind of drug. Travis was different. He adored her. He would follow her to the edge of the world without batting an eyelash. And she selfishly took his love and squandered it, taking him for granted. She didn't deserve him.

"Hey," he ran his fingers through her hair. "Hanna, it's okay. I just need to know. We can do this together. I'm sorry."

He was too nice. She cheated on him and he apologized.

"You're supposed to be mad at me," she said finally. "You're supposed to yell and throw things and kick me out. You aren't supposed to make me feel better."

"We never really did things the way we were supposed to," he replied.

"I did," she said finally. "I slept with him."

Travis didn't say anything. He swallowed hard and tried to mask his disappointment. But she knew, she was basically driving a stake through his heart.

"But it's over now," Hanna continued. "I love him, you know that. I always will. But it's not the same anymore. You gave me everything. We built a life together. You are my last love."

"Are you sure?" Travis asked her. "I won't fight him."

"I would never ask you to," she wiped her tears.

"Think about it," he told her. "Make sure you know what makes you happy because I am ready to end this now if you want another chance with Caleb."

"Maybe I should stay downstairs tonight," Hanna told him. "We can talk about this in the morning."

"I think that's a good idea," Travis said calmly.

He averted his gaze and walked over to the door. Robbie was standing in the hallway holding a stuffed animal. His eyes shined in what little light there was and there were obvious tears on his face.

"Honey," Hanna scooped him up. "What's wrong?"

"I had a bad dream," he whispered. "Can I stay with you tonight?"

"Sure," Hanna sighed.

She looked at Travis. His eyes conveyed the pain he felt and she was struck with an intense wave of guilt.

"What if Daddy reads you a story," she placed Robbie on the ground, "and then I'll put on some PJs and be there in a minute."

"No," Robbie protested. "I want to stay with both of you."

Hanna looked at Travis. His face broke out into a weak smile.

"Sure, bud," Travis picked up his son.

Hanna followed them upstairs. Travis tucked Robbie into the large king sized bed while Hanna changed into a pair of sweats. When she was done she found Robbie nestled in his father's arms. She pulled back the covers and slid in next to them.

"Good night sweetie," she kissed Robbie's forehead. "I love you."

"Good night Mommy," he said turning around to face her and planting a wet kiss on her cheek. "Are you mad at Daddy?"

"Why do you say that?" she asked.

"You didn't kiss him good night," Robbie replied.

Hanna sighed deeply. The repercussions of her indiscretions already affecting her children.

"Close your eyes bud," Travis smirked.

He clasped a wide open hand over his son's face and then sat up. He leaned across the bed and gently pecked Hanna's lips. She didn't reciprocate. This was just for show.

"Gross!" Robbie yelled.

"I love you," Travis whispered.

"I love you, too," Hanna echoed.

"Can I open my eyes yet?!" Robbie pouted.

"Sure," Hanna ruffled his hair. "The coast is clear."

Travis moved back to his side and turned off the light on his nightstand. Hanna rested her head against the pillow. She felt an odd sense of calm knowing that, whatever happened, Travis would always protect their children. They were safe.

* * *

**I thought you guys could use another chapter. I know it's slow but there's definitely some good Haleb chapters coming up. I'm sure you'll be pleased. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. Could it be the beginning of Haleb's happy ending?  
**


	8. Jump Then Fall

**JUMP THEN FALL**

* * *

"_I mean, maybe under the surface, somewhere that's hard to see, I've known it had to end for a long time. I just never thought I'd be the one to end it."  
― Susane Colasanti _

* * *

Hanna finished unpacking the box full of kitchen utensils and then flattened it and placed it in a pile with the others. She looked around the messy apartment. Trinkets were stacked everywhere and the furniture was covered in plastic wrap. It was a disaster and they had already been working on it for three days.

"Babe!" Travis called out placing an unmarked box on the coffee table. "Where does this one go?"

"Uh," she walked over to him and checked the outside.

"It doesn't say anything," he grabbed his pocket knife and opened it. The contents caught him off guard. "Oh."

"I forgot I had these," Hanna dug through the photos. Most of them were of her and Caleb. Little mementos from their relationship were scattered at random and wedged between bubble wrap so as if to preserve them.

"So," he paused, "where should we put this?"

"I don't know," she sighed. "Maybe I should just ship it to my mom's. Deal with it later."

"Well," he laughed. "That's the last box then."

"That's it?" she jumped up and down. "We're almost done!"

"Calm down," he laughed. "I need to ask you something."

"What's going on?" she was concerned.

"I lied," he told her. "There's one last box."

"Travis, what?" she squealed as he pulled a small jewelry box out of his pocket.

"Before I give this to you," he grabbed her waist and brought her down to sit on his knee. "I need to know one thing."

"Shoot," she smiled.

"When I met you," he said, "I took a backseat to Caleb. And when we got together, I knew that if he ever came back, I was done for. There was no contest. But a lot has changed since then and I've fallen madly in love with you. Before I give you this box, I need to know that your relationship with Caleb is over and confined to the contents of that box. I need to know that you love me."

"Of course I love you," she stroked his hair. "You know I do."

"I need to know that you can love me forever," he told Hanna. "I know he was your first love and you'll always have that, but I want to be your last love. Hanna, I want to marry you!"

She clapped a hand over her mouth and put the pieces together. Travis was proposing.

"Yes!" she laughed. "I love you! You're my everything Travis. I love you so much!"

"Good," he kissed her.

"Now let me see the ring!" she giggled.

"Oh," his face turned serious. "There's no ring. I just got the box."

"Shut up!" she laughed.

"I'm kidding," he opened the box to reveal a sparking diamond on an intricate platinum band. "Of course I bought a ring."

"Oh Travis," she breathed as he slid it on her finger. "You're perfect."

"This is a promise," he whispered, "that you'll be my last love."

"Yes," she kissed him. "You're my last love. Always and forever."

"You should probably call the girls," he told her.

"I don't know," she sighed. "I kind of want to keep this between us for a little while. Besides, there's something I need to ask you."

"You're not going to propose, are you?" he asked. "Because I already did that one."

"No," she laughed. "I'm not proposing. I'm pregnant."

"I know," he smiled.

"Wait," she frowned. "What do you mean _I know_? You just ruined my big news."

"Sorry," he laughed. "I didn't realize it was a surprise."

"How did you know?" she asked. He stared at her breasts which had swelled so large they were spilling over her t-shirt. "Oh. Easy giveaway."

"So," he kissed her forehead. "Now that we both know you're pregnant. What did you want to ask me?"

"I was going to ask if you want to be a father?" she said matter-of-factly. "But I guess we both know the answer now."

"Yes," he told her confidently. "In case you were wondering."

He pressed his hand to her stomach. She slid her fingers on top of his and held his hand in place for a minute.

"There's really a baby in here?" he laughed. "I'm going to be a dad?"

"Yeah," she kissed him.

"So," he pulled away for a brief moment. "When do we get to tell everyone."

"I'm only six weeks along," she explained. "I think we should wait a while."

"Hanna," he whispered in her ear. "This won't be like the last time. I promise."

"You can't promise me that," she replied.

"I have a good feeling," he told her. "This time is different."

"I don't want to talk about it," she replied. "I don't want to think...Besides, the doctor says we should wait to tell people. At least for a while."

"It's okay," he held her tightly.

He kissed her forehead. Hanna rested her arms on his shoulders and pulled him tighter losing herself in his touch. He slid his hands below her waist and hoisted her in his arms. Still stealing kisses, he carried her into the bedroom. Then he suppressed a laugh as he placed her back on solid ground.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"We don't have a bed," he replied.

"Well," she pressed her hands against his chest. "We have our own place now. We don't need to just do it in the bedroom."

"What were you thinking?" he asked.

"Kitchen?" she raised an eyebrow.

He smirked. In one swift movement, he lifted her off the ground and carried her into the kitchen. She kicked and screamed until he sat her up on the kitchen counter and she pulled his shirt off over his head before planting her lips on his. Their hungry tongues engaged in a passionate duel. It wasn't long before Travis slid her tank top off admiring the pregnancy glow that illuminated her swollen breasts. Then he gently helped her lie back on the cold granite before his kisses slowly traveled down her neck. She held tightly to the kitchen faucet and wrapped her legs around his waist. His kisses tickled and she made every effort to suppress her squeals knowing it was exactly what he wanted to hear but she wouldn't give him that satisfaction, not just yet. They were just getting started.

* * *

**Don't hate me! I promise there's a Haleb chapter coming up next and you will love it! I also want to acknowledge prettylittlehaleblover for pointing out that all of the chapter titles are Taylor Swift songs. I picked her songs just because she has a lot of them but I will say the titles are very deliberate. Without giving away the ending, I'll let you know that the clue to figuring out the story is in the titles. I hope I haven't thrown another curve ball your way or made the story more confusing by saying that. But, if you don't fell like guessing, PM me and I'll let you in on a little secret to make the chronology less confusing. And as always, I hope you're enjoying the story!  
**


	9. Nevermind

**NEVERMIND**

* * *

"_I could've sworn I was telling the truth when I told you I didn't miss you."  
― pleasefindthis _

* * *

Hanna drove through the quiet winding roads leading into Ravenswood. There was an eerie presence that descended on that town and everything around it. She shuddered. She felt like she was being watched and nearly turned back a dozen times. But she couldn't, she had to explain to Caleb and she deserved an explanation too.

She approached the city limits and followed the directions she had gotten to the seedy motel at the edge of town. She pulled into an open parking spot and shut off the car. It took her a minute to muster up the courage. How could she ask for forgiveness after what she did, how she behaved.

Finally Hanna got out of her massive SUV. She locked the car and slowly made her way toward the number of the motel room she had been provided by his boss. She tapped lightly on the door. She heard rustling inside and then the sound of the door chain falling.

"Hanna?" Caleb breathed when he saw her standing in the doorway. "What are you doing here?"

"Same as you," she smirked, "when you showed up unannounced at my house."

"I guess I deserve that," he replied.

"Can I come in?" she asked.

"Uh sure," he shrugged opening the door a bit wider.

They sat down on his unmade bed. She hugged her knees to her chest and desperately tried to remember why she had come back.

"So..." Caleb tried to break the silence.

"I guess I owe you an explanation," Hanna told him. "I just didn't expect you to show up after so much time."

"I tried to see you before," he replied. "I actually drove to your place once, but..."

"You don't have to explain," she said. "It's been a long time since..."

She swallowed hard. She didn't know how to tell him. After all these years, she had finally come to terms with it but opening up that part of her life again, she didn't know if she could handle talking about it.

"There's something I have to tell you," she finally blurted out. "I got pregnant in high school."

"I know," he said throwing her off guard. "That's why I stayed away and I'm sorry. If I could go back, I would have done things differently I just didn't want to confuse you."

"You knew?" she asked. "You didn't say anything?"

"I told you," he replied. "I made mistakes. I should have gone back to Rosewood but that's in the past. Maybe we don't have to talk about it all right now."

"You're right," she swallowed hard. "No use bringing it up now."

They sat in silence for a minute until he let out a small laugh.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"I never thought I'd see you here," he explained, "in this seedy motel."

"Honestly," she laughed. "Me neither."

He leaned across the bed and moved a strand of hair behind her ear. She looked up at him, her eyes as expressive and beautiful as before. He wanted to kiss her. So he did. Before she could even comprehend what was happening, his lips met hers. She smiled as she remembered his touch.

Caleb's hands wrapped around her waist and she fell back on the bed bringing him down on top of her. He didn't hesitate to rip her clothes off. This was unlike their first time in the tent, or the many times after when he was gentle with her. They were unleashing twelve years of pent up sexual frustration. It was akin to a cosmic connection.

They threw away their inhibitions and drowned out the rest of the world. For a moment Hanna forgot about her children and her husband and all of the sorrow she had endured after Caleb left. He did the same. In their minds they were back in 2012 chasing A and trying to stay alive.

Ravenswood was a mystical place after all. The rules didn't apply here. Ghosts roamed the earth and wreaked havoc. If that was the case, maybe Hanna didn't have to follow the rules either. She could disappear into this web of lies and resurface free of guilt. The town she had once cursed for ruining her life, had now become her safe haven. A beacon of light.

When they were done, she laid against the pillows. The white sheet covered her from the neck down. She stared at the diamond ring on her finger. Before, it had glared at her like a symbol of her infidelity. Today, it didn't even seem to exist. The mirage of Ravenswood cleared her conscience.

Caleb felt rejuvenated lying in bed next to her. He had missed this. The last time, she had cut their reunion short, but now he could almost hear her heart racing. Their sticky bodies brushed against each other under the sheets reminding him of their implacable passion. He loved this girl more than he could put into words and he missed every little thing about their relationship.

"I'm moving," he told her finally.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I'm getting a new place," he explained. "I'm giving up on Ravenswood."

"Hence the hotel?" she asked. He nodded.

"I'm not asking you to leave _them_," he didn't know their names and he definitely didn't want to.

He opened the drawer next to his bed and pulled out a keyring which he handed to Hanna.

"What is this?" she asked.

"If you ever want to find me again," he explained. "That's where I'll be."

"Caleb, I don't know if we can keep doing this," she told him. "I just came to make amends."

"And I'm not expecting anything," he replied. "I just want to let you make your own choices."

"I can't take this," she left the key on her pillow.

Hanna came to her senses and threw off the sheet. She hurriedly redressed and leaned across the bed to kiss Caleb one last time. She didn't hold back. Then she stood up and reached for the discarded keyring.

"On second thought," she took a deep breath and opened the front door before looking back at him. "Don't wait up."

Caleb smiled as she walked out of his life. He didn't know what to expect. The ball was in her court now.

* * *

**Finally! Sorry it took so long to give you this chapter. I promise, more like it are coming right up! It looks like you guys are close to figuring out some of the secrets, but not all. And lastly, I'm sorry I spilled about the titles. I feel like I've confused you more. I will say, that if you're having trouble figuring out the chronology of the story, read the chapters in alphabetical order, rather than the order they're posted in. That should help fill in the blanks!**


	10. Eyes Open

**EYES OPEN**

* * *

"_Build your life on your dreams; because dreams never have bad endings."  
― M.F. Moonzajer_

* * *

Caleb sped down the desolate gravel road. He couldn't rid his mind of the image he had seen outside of Hanna's house. Hanna had been so worried about Miranda stealing him away but he didn't even think twice about Travis. He had to hand it to her. She did have a type.

It was dark when he finally arrived at he Collins estate. Caleb snuck inside and managed to avoid seeing anyone, even Miranda. He burst into his bedroom and saw her sitting there on the edge of his bed.

"Hey," he dropped his backpack.

"I take it," she sighed, "it didn't go well."

"She's with someone else," Caleb explained.

"Oh," Miranda breathed. "I didn't anticipate that."

"It gets worse," he continued. "She's pregnant."

"You guys just broke up," Miranda snapped. "She certainly moves on fast. What did she say?"

"I didn't talk to her," Caleb replied. "I couldn't get up the courage."

"Caleb," she stroked his hair sending a chill through his spine. "Have you thought, maybe it's your kid?"

"Don't you think she'd tell me?" Caleb replied. "Besides, I saw her with Travis. They looked...intimate."

"I mean, can you really blame her?" Miranda sighed. Caleb shot her a deadly look. "I just meant, she thinks you left her for a ghost. Isn't that the worst break up excuse ever?"

"I should have called her first," he replied.

"I feel awful now," Miranda told him. "I'm the reason you went. I shouldn't have pushed you."

"It's not your fault," Caleb smiled at her. "You just wanted to do the right thing. I should have called."

He was struck with a pang of guilt. This wasn't the first time he had left Hanna but it certainly was the last. This time was different though. She had always taken him back, even after the Jenna thing.

"I guess I never expected her to move on," he said. "We both said we were done, but so soon?"

"You know," Miranda tried her best to make a joke, "you have your whole life ahead of you."

"Is that supposed to be funny?" he asked. "Or ironic?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "Trying to lighten the mood I guess. You know, maybe you'll meet someone else."

"What if I already have?" he mused aloud.

"Who?" she crossed her arms. "Grunwald? Didn't know you were into older women."

"No," Caleb let out a small laugh. He reached out to grab Miranda's hand. "I wish I could touch you."

"Don't," she turned away.

"Think about it," he told her. "It's like the stars aligned and forced us together. It's been happening for centuries. Don't tell me you haven't thought about it."

"That's not the point," she told him. "I'm dead. It would never work. Like I said, you have your whole _life_ ahead of you. I already died a virgin."

Caleb stifled a laugh. Then Miranda cracked a smile.

"Sorry," he told her. "It's just funny."

"Being a ghost is weird," she nodded. "But I'm lucky to have you around."

Caleb reached out to stroke her cheek. He was met with the familiar cool sensation, but this time was different. He could touch her. Miranda's face told him that she felt something different too.

"Did you feel that?" he asked her.

"Yeah," she replied. "You're warm."

"You're cold," he teased her.

"Is this normal?" he asked.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "It's not like there's a ghost handbook. Try it again."

He reached for her hand. This time he slid right through her, like she wasn't even there.

"Maybe it was a fluke," she said. "We imagined it."

"I didn't imagine that," he replied. "I felt you. Just like I did when I fell out of the tree house."

"Just forget it," she warned him. "Maybe someone is playing a trick on us. Who know! With the curse, anything's possible."

Miranda hung her head in defeat and turned toward the window where the full moon shone brightly. Caleb wasn't ready to give up. He reached out and took her hand. This time he felt her cool skin against his hand.

"See!" he pulled her toward him. "We're not imagining this."

Miranda's face broke into a smile. She inched toward him. Caleb's hand slipped around her waist. The marriage of his warmth with her cool skin emitted a mist that glowed like a halo. Neither of them noticed as he pulled her closer before bringing his lips to hers. She welcomed his kiss with a smile. Lost in the moment, Caleb was oblivious to the way the rest of the room fell away as if he was drifting in a void of nothingness.

Suddenly Caleb woke up with a start. He looked around his bedroom in the Collins estate and realized it was all a dream. Then Miranda appeared from around the corner. She gave him a kind smile.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You were screaming. I followed your voice."

"I just had a dream," he replied. "I could touch you."

"I wish," she rolled her eyes.

"You know," he sat up, "in another life, maybe we could get a second chance."

"I think _we_ were that second chance," she reminded him.

"Hey," he patted the empty space next to him on the bed. "Come here."

Miranda smiled and hopped up on the bed next to him. Caleb's hand lay palm up on top of the covers. She placed her fingers in between his. As usual, a chill ran through Caleb's spine, but he welcomed. It was starting to feel comforting, knowing that a ghost was watching over him.

She was like an angel now. One that he could see. Caleb looked at her and smiled. He would give anything to touch her one more time. To feel her warm skin against his, to protect her from that fateful night. Without Hanna, Miranda had become the closest thing to family.

"What are you thinking about?" Miranda asked finally.

"You," he said honestly. "I was thinking of you."


	11. Picture To Burn

**PICTURE TO BURN**

* * *

"_The end of a melody is not its goal: but nonetheless, had the melody not reached its end it would not have reached its goal either. A parable."  
― Friedrich Nietzsche_

* * *

Hanna's toes brushed against the sandy beach. She felt weightless as the waves lapped against her skin. There was nothing for miles. Just the sound of birds chirping and the wind blowing causing the palm trees to sway, casting long shadows on the beach.

"Hey," suddenly Hanna was in the wake of Caleb's shadow.

"I thought you'd drowned," she teased.

"Sorry," he sat down next to her. "I couldn't get off the phone."

Caleb laid down parallel to the shoreline. Hanna's head landed on his muscular abdomen and he dragged his fingers through her wet hair. She felt safe and calm with Caleb next to her. They sat there for hours until the sun began to set sending a wash of pink across the sky.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

"Just like you," he replied.

"Stop it," she giggled. "That's corny."

"You're right," he laughed. "Why do I always say corny things around you?"

"My mesmerizing beauty, obviously," she replied.

The sun had all but disappeared. The sky was a dark shade of indigo and the once calming wind was starting to incite small raised goosebumps on her skin. She shivered.

"Cold?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded. "Maybe we should go inside."

They stood up and dusted themselves off. Caleb took Hanna's hand and led her back to the resort. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders in an attempt to keep her warm and they strolled back to their room. He unlocked the door and Hanna stepped in welcoming the warm room.

"I'm starving," she said grabbing an apple out of the mini refrigerator.

"We could get food," Caleb threw on a t-shirt.

"Yeah," Hanna replied. She sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up her phone. "Let me just call my kids first."

Caleb's heart sank. Every time he managed to forget she was someone else's wife, her other life popped right back into the picture. With his head hung low, he stepped into the shower trying to shut out the thought of Hanna on the phone with her family.

He grabbed the mini bottle of hotel soap and used nearly the entire thing trying to get it to lather. When he was done, he stayed a bit longer just letting the warm water bounce against his skin. He would use any excuse not to go back out and catch Hanna in the midst of her phone call. He didn't need another reminder that their time together was fleeting.

Finally, he shut off the water and grabbed a soft white towel to dry off. He shook the excess water out of his damp hair and then wrapped the towel around his waist. He stepped back into the room and swallowed hard when he saw her still on the phone.

"It's gorgeous here," Hanna assured Travis. "We just spent the whole day on the beach."

Caleb inched toward her and sat at the edge of the bed. He dragged his fingers across her taut stomach trying to illicit a response.

"Tomorrow?" Hanna continued into her phone. "Well, you know Spencer. She probably has everything all planned out."

Hanna ignored Caleb. She already felt like she was being pulled in half. He didn't have to make it harder on her. Caleb didn't care. He leaned across the bed and left a trail of gentle kissed across her lower abdomen.

"I should be home Monday," Hanna said, her breath was shallow.

Slowly, Caleb tugged at the strings of her bikini bottoms. Without hesitation they came undone. Hanna shivered when she felt Caleb's hand on her pelvic bone.

"Definitely," she tried to compose herself. "I'll call you when I get on the plane."

Caleb's lips met her inner thigh. She inhaled deeply. He was evil.

"I love you too," she said finally slamming the phone shut. She turned to Caleb. "I will fucking kill you!"

"What?" he feigned innocence. "You don't like it?"

"You know I do," she replied. "I just don't need you trying to get me off when I'm on the phone with my husband."

"You're here with me," he reminded her. "I thought we agree to keep your other life separate."

"I've left my kids for three days," she explained, "to be with you. I lied to my husband. I have Spencer lying on my behalf. I just needed one phone call. Can't you understand that?"

"Sorry," he replied. "I get jealous sometimes, thinking about all the time we didn't spend together."

"It's just hard, you know," she sighed.

"Come on," he stood up. "Let's get some food."

"Wait," Hanna smirked.

Caleb turned to face her. She tugged at his towel leaving him stark naked.

"Really?" he winked. "Is that how we're going to play this?"

"Just trying to lighten the mood," she laughed.

"Alright," he covered himself up with the towel once again. "I'll get dressed. You pick a place."

Hanna retied her bikini bottoms and grabbed a colorful floral printed kaftan from her suitcase and threw it on. Then she called down to the concierge and asked for a restaurant recommendation. They settled on an Italian place and Hanna had them put in a reservation for her.

"Ready?" Caleb stepped back into the room.

Her mouth dropped open. She knew Caleb. She knew every part of him. But she had never seen him like this. He was wearing a fitted white t-shirt that clung to his biceps. She couldn't explain it, but she wanted to rip it off and lay him out right on the bed.

"Am I under dressed?" she asked him.

"You look beautiful," he said inching toward her.

Caleb slid a hand around her waist and pulled her close to him. Here eyelashes fluttered and he planted a kiss on her lips. It was over. She didn't even think about Travis or her kids waiting at home. She just wanted to be with Caleb. She would go to the edge of the earth for him.

"Shall we?" he asked pulling away.

"Yeah," she smiled.

She kissed his cheek. Then grabbed her purse. As he grabbed her hand, the rest of the world fell away. It was like they were the only ones that existed.


	12. All Too Well

**ALL TOO WELL**

* * *

"_It's a lot easier to say when something ended rather than when it began. Most of us can recognize the end from a mile away, but the beginning always slips up on us, lulling us into thinking what we're living through is yet another moment, in yet another day."  
― Steve Yarbrough _

* * *

Hanna gingerly applied her lip balm and then closed the tube. She ran her fingers through her curls a few more times and then checked her makeup one last time. The doorbell rang right on schedule. She grabbed her purse and thundered down the stairs.

When she opened the door, Caleb was standing on the porch. He wore that same smirk on his face every time he saw her. She kissed his cheek.

"So," she slid her finger in between his, "where are you taking me?"

"I was thinking," he paused, "Thai? Spanish?'

"I could go for paella," she replied.

"There it is," he laughed. "Now hop in!"

She giggled as she skipped down the front porch to the car. She and Caleb needed a date night. After everything going on with A and her friends, she had hardly seen him. Not to mention, her mother's recent stint in jail. A few minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant and got out to open her door.

"Thank you," she took his hand.

They went inside and grabbed a table. Over dinner, they caught each other up on their lives. Hanna filled him in on the latest escapades with A. Caleb worried, but he knew Hanna could take care of herself. He was clued in now. If there was something she couldn't handle, he knew she would ask for help. He told her all about his mom and his brothers. How they talked whenever they could. When they were done, he paid the bill and they headed back to her place.

"So," Hanna said as they pulled up in front of her childhood home. "My mom is away. She went on a cruise with her friends. Do you want to stay the night?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "I'd love that."

"Come on," she hopped out and they bolted inside.

Hanna locked the door and Caleb scooped her up into his arms. She giggled as he spun her around the room and then set her back down on the ground.

"Hungry?" she asked.

"We just ate," he told her.

"Upstairs?" she pointed.

"Yeah," he breathed.

She kissed him. His arms grabbed her waist and he lifted her onto the first stair. Walking backwards, she clung to him, leading Caleb toward her bedroom. When they reached the landing, he pressed her against the wall. He traced her jaw with his lips sending butterflies whirling through her stomach.

Hanna's breathing sped up. She loved it when he did that. She tugged at his shirt and they pulled apart for a second as he threw the shirt aside. She giggled and then kissed his bare chest. She felt safe wedged between his muscular arms.

Slowly, shedding more clothes as they went, Hanna finally led him to her bedroom. She opened the door and he inched her closer to the bed before they landed on the soft mattress. Hanna wiggled out of the rest of her clothes before Caleb climbed on the bed next to her. This was exactly what they needed. Tonight had to be magical.

The next morning Hanna woke up listening to the dull roar of Caleb's snores. His hand was clasped tightly around her waist and she could feel his warm breath on the back of her neck.

"Hey," Caleb breathed waking up.

"Morning," she smiled.

She rolled over so she could face him. Caleb smiled. He ran his fingers through her blonde curls. He loved waking up next to her.

"You know," he told her, "one day we won't have to plan these sleepovers around your mom's vacations."

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked.

"I'm just saying," he took her hand. "We graduate in May. I have my own place. You can go to fashion school. Maybe you could move in."

"Are you being serious Caleb Rivers?" she teased. "You're asking me to move in with you? To enter your sacred man space...oh, that sounds wrong."

They laughed. It felt nice to laugh and dream about playing house instead of the constant struggle with A and the rest of the universal powers that tried to destroy their lives.

"You can enter my sacred man space," he laughed. "That's exactly what I want."

"I don't know," she sighed. "I was kind of looking forward to moving in with Aria. We've been looking at apartments near Hollis."

"Really?" he scoffed. "Aria burns toast and she doesn't eat anything with a face. You're sacrificing life with a real chef?"

"We took the same cooking class," she reminded him. "It's not a selling point."

"So," he sighed, "why the hesitation?"

"I guess I just," she paused. "I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but if we move in together, we're on the fast track to marriage and kids, the whole nine yards. I can't ever just go back to living with the girls."

"I guess that makes sense," he replied.

"You know," she kissed his neck. "You could always sleep over at my place. We would have to wait until Aria goes out of town, of course."

They laughed. Suddenly, they were right back in the same boat.

"I mean," Hanna continued, "Aria practically lives with Fitz as it is. I'm sure being her roommate will be like living with a ghost."

"It's still weird to me that she's dating her teacher," Caleb said slowly.

"You know," Hanna sighed. "It was weird at first, but he makes her happy. Who else is she going to talk to about prostate and gutter?"

"You mean Proust and Goethe?" Caleb asked.

"That's what I said," she rolled her eyes.

"This is what I love about you!" he said squeezing her tight.

"What?" she scoffed. "My obvious disdain toward classic literature?"

"Yes!" he laughed.

Caleb's tightened his grip on her waist and covered her in kisses. They tickled and she laughed kicking her legs to try to wriggle out of his grasp. This is how their life was meant to be. Lazy mornings in bed where they promised to spend the rest of their lives together.


	13. Red

**RED **

* * *

"_She missed him. And she was scared, deep down, because she felt him pulling away from her, and even though he assured her he wasn't, she didn't believe him."  
― Harriet Evans _

* * *

Spencer looked absolutely radiant in a vintage Monique Lhuillier gown standing at the base of the church. At the other end of the aisle, Toby's mouth was open in shock. He had never seen her look more beautiful. Hanna stood to the left of the altar. She wore a teal satin gown and carried a bouquet of baby's breath and lilacs in her hand.

The processional music began and Spencer floated toward the assembly standing on the steps of the altar. As tradition fared, everyone stood up and cameras across the room sent blinding flashes into the air. Hanna looked toward the other side of the altar where she saw Travis wedged between Toby and Ezra.

For a moment she was reminded of her own wedding. It was nothing like Spencer's absolute fairy tale dream of an event, mainly because she was nearly six months pregnant and practically bursting out of her dress. Travis still told her she looked beautiful. After four years together, he knew better than to say otherwise.

Travis flashed her a smile, bringing her back to reality. He had always been there for her and she never doubted his love or his loyalty, but lately she was starting to doubt her own. Since the day Caleb arrived at her door, her demeanor was different and she knew Travis was beginning to notice.

As the ceremony came to a close, Toby took Spencer's hand and led her out of the church. The rest of their guests followed suit, mingling on the church steps while Toby and Spencer drove away in a black town car.

"Hey," Travis grabbed her hand.

"Hi," she draped an arm on his shoulder.

"Remember when we did that?" he teased. "We were just kids."

"We still are," she assured him, "and don't ever let me hear you say otherwise."

"I hear you loud and clear," he replied.

Travis led her to the parking lot where they climbed in his pickup. He drove them to the reception and they got out to greet all their friends, save for Spencer and Toby who were likely getting a head start on the honeymoon.

"You look beautiful," Travis whispered in her ear.

"Thanks," Hanna smiled. "You're looking pretty dapper yourself."

"Hanna!" Emily snuck up behind her friend and wrapped her arms around her.

"I love the enthusiasm Em," Hanna hugged her back tightly.

"Come on," she took Hanna's hand. "Sorry Travis. I need to steal your lady."

"You girls have fun," he laughed.

Emily grabbed to glasses of wine from the bar and handed one to Hanna. Then she took her hand and led her onto the balcony where they sat on a couple of lounge chairs.

"I've missed you," Emily took a swig of her drink.

"I know," Hanna sighed. "How long has been?"

"Nearly a year," Emily replied. "Don't let it happen again."

"It's not my fault you're constantly in a different city," Hanna teased. "When was the last time you had an address for longer than a week?"

"You can visit," Emily replied. "I'm always offering to comp you tickets."

"I have the kids," Hanna reminded her.

"Speaking of," Emily continued, "I haven't even met my namesake. When do I get to see them?"

"I told you," Hanna laughed. "She's not named after you."

"It's fine," Emily teased. "I know you have to say that so no one gets jealous."

"You caught me," Hanna finished off her drink and stood up. "Come on. We should get back to the party."

"Fine," Emily followed her inside.

When they returned to the ballroom, the party was in full swing. Spencer was spoonfeeding Toby for a photo op and the rest of the guests were busy snapping their own photos and reconnecting with friends.

"Hey," Hanna found her way through the crowd to the happy couple.

"Hi!" Spencer hugged her.

"In case I don't get a chance later," Hanna told them. "I just wanted to say congratulations. I love you guys."

"Hey Travis!" Spencer ushered him over. "Come here. We need a picture with you."

The two couples crowded around the head table and the photographer snapped a photo. Then they all hugged and Travis took Hanna into the hallway.

"Aren't you a little wedding'd out?" he asked referring to the months of planning Hanna had put in as matron of honor.

"All of it was leading up to tonight," she replied. "Doesn't it defeat the purpose to skip the actual party?"

"I had something else in mind," he said. "Your mom's got the kids for the weekend and we have a room at the hotel. What if we just order room service and enjoy a night to ourselves."

"And miss the reception?" she asked confused. "Why can't we just stay another night?"

He didn't answer. He slid a hand around her waist and pulled her close. His lips came crashing down on hers with a fiery passion she had never seen before. As much as she wanted to melt in his arms and forget her problems, this foreign embrace left her unnerved. She forcefully wriggled out of his grasp.

"Travis," she panted, "this isn't like you."

"Maybe I'm not myself tonight," he breathed. "But lately, you haven't been yourself either. What's going on?"

"Nothing," she retorted. "Nothing's going on."

"Don't lie to me!" he warned her.

"I don't like you talking to me like that?" she retorted. "Travis you need to calm down."

"Sorry," he sighed finally.

He sat down on a bench in the hallway. When she was sure he wouldn't fly off the handle, she sat down next to him.

"What happened to us?" he pressed his hands to his temples. "When did we become these people?"

"It's going to be okay," she breathed.

Hanna knew her late night meetings and weekend getaways with Caleb were the reason her marriage was falling apart. She wanted to console Travis and let him know that everything was really going to be fine, but she couldn't. She could not make that promise just yet. First, she had to sort out her own feelings.


	14. I'd Lie

**I'D LIE**

"_You can't truly heal from a loss until you allow yourself to really FEEL the loss."  
― __Mandy Hale_

Hanna sat in the backseat of Spencer's white SUV. Her knees were pulled up to her chest and she gazed absentmindedly out the window. She didn't pay attention to Aria and Spencer in the front seat trying to make sense of the navigation system. She didn't want to think about anything. Then she felt Emily's comforting hand on her knee. She looked up. Emily offered a weak smile. Hanna rested her head on her friend's shoulder and Emily stroked her blonde hair in an effort to offer some solace.

They couldn't understand the pit of despair she was swimming in. She was only seventeen. It's not like she was in the position to raise a child, but just because she had every intent of giving up the baby, didn't mean she couldn't feel the guilt and pain of loss. Some could argue, giving birth to a baby she never got to hold, was the greatest pain of all. She didn't need to justify her grief.

As Spencer continued on the dark road, the rhythm of the engine lulled Hanna to sleep. Soon her eyes were closed and she was blissfully unaware of the chattering in the front seat. Eventually they arrived and Spencer pulled onto a gravel road and parked outside a wooden cabin.

"We're here," Emily whispered to Hanna.

Hanna stirred awake and rubbed her eyes adjusting to the darkness of night. She slid out of the car and followed her friends inside. Hanna settled into an upholstered chair by the fireplace while Spencer sprouted out commands to the other girls.

"Hey," Emily sat down next to her. "Are you hungry? Can I get you something?"

Hanna shook her head. She didn't want anything. She just wanted to be left alone. But Spencer wouldn't rest until they had cheered her up.

"So," Spencer plopped down on the couch. "What first? Movie? Wine? Charades?"

"Spencer, just stop, okay?" Emily spat at her.

"What did I do?" Spencer was confused.

"This isn't just a breakup," Emily explained. "We can't even begin to comprehend what Hanna went through. Let's just cut the crap, okay?"

"Uh yeah, sorry," Spencer shrugged. "I was just trying to help."

"I know," Hanna spoke finally. "Thanks guys but..."

"What if we just lit a fire," Aria offered. "We can make s'mores and not talk unless we want to..."

Spencer got up to start the fireplace. Emily grabbed the marshmallows from the cupboard and Hanna pulled out her phone. She needed the kind of comfort that none of her friends could provide, so she texted him.

"I was thinking," Spencer broke the silence, "and maybe this is the worst idea ever, but Hanna, maybe you could give Melissa a call. She did go through the same thing after all."

"I don't think talking to Melissa is going to make me feel better," Hanna retorted.

"Just a suggestion," Spencer replied.

They were all silent. None of them could imagine what Hanna had gone through in the last few weeks. Even Aria knew that Ezra's latest revelation didn't hurt nearly as much as the pain Hanna went through. As the log started to die out, Spencer stood up and wiped her hands.

"I was thinking," she said aloud, "Aria and I can take the upstairs bedroom. Em, you and Hanna can have the basement. That way you won't hear us in the morning. You can sleep in as late as you want."

"Thanks," Hanna managed a smile.

She got up and grabbed her duffel bag following Emily downstairs. Hanna wriggled out of her clothes and threw on a pair of leggings and flannel. Then she crawled into the bed next to Emily. Just before they turned out the light, she sent her mom a quick text to let her know everything was okay. That's when she herself received a text.

_I'm outside._

"I'm going to get some water," Hanna informed Emily.

She threw off the covers and tiptoed upstairs. When she looked out the window, she saw the familiar truck parking in the winding driveway with the lights off. She stepped outside pulling her flannel tighter around her torso.

"Hey," she smiled at Travis who was leaning against the truck. "What are you doing here?"

"You said you needed to get away," he replied. "I brought my valiant steed."

"While I appreciate the gesture," she laughed. "I meant more in a metaphorical sense."

"Oh," he laughed. "I guess I look dumb."

"Do you want to come inside?" she asked.

"Sure," he smiled.

She took his hand and led him into the dark cabin. Careful not to wake anyone else, they turned on a dim lamp. Hanna grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it with water, offering a second one to Travis.

"Thanks," he took a sip.

She placed her glass down and rested her hands on Travis' muscular chest. A shiver slid down his spine. Slowly, her hand wandered to his cheek and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him gently. This was unfamiliar territory. She was used to Caleb. They fit together perfectly. Travis was taller. And even on her tiptoes, he still had to lean down to meet her lips. His hands wandered her body and she unbuttoned her top inviting him in. But in a second, he pulled away.

"We can't," he told her.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Look," his eyes showed sincerity, "as much as I want this...us...to happen, this just isn't the best time. I don't want to be your rebound."

"Thanks," she smiled. "I guess I needed that."

"I can be your friend," he told her, "but the other stuff...maybe we should just give it more time."

"Okay," she sighed. "But since you're already here, could you stay with me?"

"Is that really a good idea?" he asked.

"I won't try anything," she assured him. "Promise."

He caved. They sat down on the couch and Hanna rested her head against his shoulder. Then she grabbed a blanket to cover them both. For the first time in a long while, she felt safe.

It felt like Hanna had only closed her eyes when she was awoken by the sound of the coffee machine dripping. She vaguely sensed two figures whispering in the kitchen. Her eyes opened. She was wedged in between Travis' arms. She slithered out of the blanket and tiptoed into the kitchen where Spencer and Aria were decked out in running shoes and sweats.

"So," Spencer winked at her.

"It's not like that," Hanna snapped.

"When did he show up?" Aria asked.

"Last night," Hanna replied. "I kind of asked him to come."

"Well," Spencer smirked, "don't let us keep you. We're going for a run."

"Alright," Hanna sighed.

She watched as her friends closed the front door, shaking the entire cabin. Travis woke up with a start. Looking around, he finally placed his surroundings.

"Sorry," Hanna told him. "They're on a serious workout regimen. No slacking allowed."

"It's alright," he smiled. "I should probably get on the road anyway."

"You can stay," she replied. "It's the last weekend of summer."

"I don't think it's a good idea," he said. "When you're ready, I'll be there."

She understood. She needed time to get over Caleb and everything that came with their breakup. Falling into a new relationship with Travis would only make her more miserable. She liked that about him, though. The fact that he put her needs in front of his own selfish desires. She could someone like that in her life.


	15. We Were Happy

**WE WERE HAPPY**

"**_The opposite of the happy ending is not actually the sad ending-the sad ending __is__ sometimes the happy ending. The opposite of the happy ending is actually the __unsatisfying__ ending."  
― Orson Scott Card_**

It was Labor Day. The air was warm and the sun shone bright, even late in the day. The kids ran across the patio blowing bubbles and kicking dust in the air. Hanna used to look forward to the long weekend at the end of summer. It was the last chance to make the summer count, but not anymore. After the summer of 2009 when Ali disappeared, this weekend was cursed.

Fifteen years ago, her best friend disappeared. In the time since then, she had made every attempt to move on. Despite A's attempts on her life, Hanna had managed to survive high school and put the torture of those four years in her past. She had a husband and a couple of kids to think about now.

But still, there was an eerie flavor that penetrated the warm summer air every Labor Day. Even after Ali came back, it was still difficult. She hated that fated weekend and today was no exception. But she put on a brave face, for her children.

"Hey," Emily placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "I'm about to make some hamburgers. Do you want to help?"

Hanna glanced over at her kids. They hardly noticed her. Emma and Robbie were better suited to play hopscotch and spend time with her friends' children.

"Hanna?" Emily tried to bring her back to reality.

"Sorry," Hanna shook her head.

"Hamburgers," Em repeated. "Can I get your help in the kitchen."

"Uh yeah, sure," Hanna followed her inside.

Emily pulled a carton of ground meat from the fridge. Hanna sat on a stool and hunched over the counter. Emily gave her friend a look of concern. Then she placed a glass of spiked lemonade in front of her.

"So," Emily sighed, "do you want to talk about it?"

"Not really," Hanna sighed.

She stirred her drink with a straw while Emily finished molding the hamburgers. As she finished up the package of meat, she finally looked up to see Hanna's drink nearly done.

"You know," Emily gave her a kind smile, "you don't have to go through this alone. We will always be there for you."

"I know," Hanna swallowed hard, "but I just don't want to talk about it. Talking won't bring him back, not that I'm even sure I want that."

"Suit yourself," Emily replied. Then she picked up the tray of raw burgers. "But you're going to have to go out there eventually. Can you at least try and pretend you want to be here?"

"For whose benefit?" Hanna scoffed.

"Mine," Emily raised an eyebrow. "I could use someone strong today, of all days."

"I guess," Hanna sighed. "For you."

"Thanks," Emily smirked. "I appreciate it."

The girls strolled back out of the kitchen arm in arm. Emily passed the burgers off to Toby who was manning the grill and then grabbed two more cups of spiked lemonade for herself and Hanna.

"What's in this stuff, anyway?" Hanna asked.

"Rum, tequila, Triple Sec," Emily rattled off a list. "I think there might be some lemon in there somewhere."

"Sounds about right," Hanna took another sip.

"Mama!" Emma called out to her mother. "Watch me sotter salt."

Hanna smiled while her daughter knelt down on the soft grass and tucker her head in before rolling across the patio. When she was done, she stood up and raised her arms into a victory stance.

"Perfect!" Hanna clapped loudly. "You're a natural."

Then Robbie came running toward her. He climbed up onto her lap and then looked into her eyes intently.

"Mom?" he asked.

"Yeah honey," she smiled.

"Are you sad?" he asked her.

"Why do you think that?" she was worried.

"You're not smiling," he explained. "Not like you usually do. Are you sad because of Daddy?"

"No," she replied gently. "It's not Daddy."

"Then what is it?" he asked. It took Hanna a few minutes to decide how to explain.

"I lost a friend today," she explained.

"Today?" he asked. "But Mom, all your friends are here."

"A different friend," she continued. "A friend you don't know. But it wasn't actually today. It just happens that today is the anniversary."

"What's an aversary?" he asked.

"An anniversary," she hugged him tight, "is kind of like a birthday. It happens every year and it's a way to remember things that happened on this same day in the past. Does that make sense?"

"I think so," he replied. Then he changed the subject. "When will I see Daddy?"

"He should be here really soon," she replied.

"Good!" Robbie pouted. "He promised!"

"Alright," Hanna said. "I'll give him a call and check in. Now go play until he gets here."

Robbie hopped off her lap and ran toward the other kids climbing on the playhouse as they played freeze tag. Hanna clinked her glass with Emily's and took a long sip. They didn't need to say a word. They both just knew. Then she saw him turn the corner strolling in from the side yard.

"Hey," Hanna stood up to hug Travis. "Robbie was starting to worry you wouldn't show."

"I'm here aren't I?" he said calmly, with an air of spite.

"Can we not fight?" she pleaded. "Not today."

"I didn't mean to," he took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I forgot about today."

"It's fine," she smiled.

"No," Travis swallowed hard.

He wrapped her in his arms and let her rest her head against his chest. Hanna didn't want to admit it, but it felt nice to be close to Travis again. Since he had moved downstairs, things had been...awkward, to say the least.

"Daddy!" Robbie came running ruining the precious moment between Hanna and her estranged husband.

"Hey buddy!" Travis picked him up and swung him in a circle.

Hanna laughed. He always managed to play the part when he needed to. Other than Robbie's little interrogation earlier, the kids were completely oblivious. They just thought Dad's snoring was too loud and he had been condemned to the guest room.


	16. Fearless

**FEARLESS**

"**_Life has to end, she said. Love doesn't."  
― Mitch Albo__m _**

Hanna sat cross-legged on her bed. Her midsection now jutted prominently past her breasts. There was no hiding her pregnancy anymore. Hanna had feared judgment from her peers but she actually fared well, especially with her best friends keeping a close eye on her and Emily's threat to pummel anyone who dared mock her.

It was hard on Travis though. He was an excellent friend and a great deterrent to those who pegged her as a single mother, which she was. Travis was amazing though, during this time. He didn't correct those who mistook him as the father, he simply smiled and offered his friendship at a time when she needed it most.

Hanna stared intently at the black and white photograph in her hand. The blue writing on the side read _It's a boy!_ She should have been happy, but she felt a void in the pit of her stomach as she contemplated the fact that Caleb wasn't a part of his child's life. She had tried to get in touch but her calls and texts when unanswered. When he said they should move on, he was not kidding.

She heard the front door open and a pattering of footsteps on the stairs. Then she saw Travis standing in the doorway. He flashed her a smile and then noticed the photo in her hands.

"It was unlocked," he explained.

"That's okay," she replied. "I'm actually glad you're here. I need to share this with someone."

"A boy?" Travis smiled.

"Yupp," Hanna nodded.

"Han," his voice exuded a tone of seriousness. "I know you don't want to hear this, but if this was _my_ child, I would want to know. Don't you think you should tell Caleb?"

"He won't listen," Hanna replied. "What do you suggest? Texting him a photo of my ultrasound?"

"That's a little rash," Travis laughed. "What if we went to Ravenswood? I could go with you."

"I've thought about it," she replied. "I think I'm more scared of finding him there with someone else to be honest. Ugh! Why did he shut down his website page?"

"I'm serious," Travis told her. "Think of it from his side. His parents abandoned him and know he's unknowingly abandoned his own kid. At the very least he needs to know the little guy exists."

He was right, as usual. Hanna knew she couldn't make the decision to keep Caleb away from his child without informing hims first. It would be like some sort of cruel and unusual punishment. Besides, if she went through with the adoption, they would need Caleb's permission eventually.

"You're right," she told Travis. "But I could really use you."

"That's what I thought you'd say," he smiled, "so I gassed up the car and took the day off."

"You mean we're going tonight?" she asked.

"No time like the present," he winked.

"Alright," she stood up. "Let's do this."

Hanna shoved the photograph in her purse and followed Travis out to his car. He helped her into the front seat and she settled in to get comfortable for the drive. As they ventured on, she felt the gentle nudge in her belly that she had become accustomed to.

"I think he likes driving," Hanna said.

"Huh?" Travis was confused.

"The baby," Hanna replied. "He always kicks when I'm in the car."

"Is it weird?" Travis asked. "Like, does it hurt?"

"Not really," she replied. "But I heard it will later. He's not that strong yet. There's still room for him to move around."

Travis shuddered. It weirded him out to think that there was something, someone, growing inside of Hanna's stomach. He tried his best to be supportive but every once in a while, he had to remind himself that at the end of this, she was going to have a baby. Any possibility of them ever being together was shattered by the fact that she would always have a connection to Caleb. And now, Travis was doing everything in his power to get them back together. This road trip was possibly the definition of masochism.

They drove the rest of the trip swapping stories and singing along to the radio. It was early afternoon when they finally arrived in Ravenswood and suddenly Hanna felt a chill run through her spine. This town left a weird taste in her mouth.

"So," Travis said as they entered the city limits, "where to?"

"Uh, actually," she paused. "do you mind walking around town with me for a bit before we go to Caleb's? Being in the car makes me restless and I don't want to be jittery when I tell him."

"Sure," he said driving toward the center of town.

Travis parked near a post office and helped Hanna out of the car. She pulled on her sweater to fight the cold but struggled to get the buttons fastened over her large bump.

"It's no use," she said giving up and letting the woolen fabric frame her growing bump. Then she felt the familiar nudge of the baby kicking. She grabbed Travis' hand and pressed it to her side. "Feel! He's kicking!"

She watched the expression on Travis' face change. He broke into a smile. She loved seeing how others reacted to her baby. She wanted to treasure this moment forever but she could not shake the feeling that she was being watched.

"That's amazing," Travis said finally pulling away his hand. "You feel that all day?"

"Yeah," she smiled. Then she noticed his gaze had landed on her cleavage. "What are you looking at?"

"Sorry," he shook his head knowing he had been caught. "It's just hard to look away. They're so big."

"Stop it," she playfully hit him with her sweater. She still felt the unnerving sense that someone was watching her. She grabbed his hand. "Let's go in this shop."

Travis followed her in without hesitation leaving the mysterious world of Ravenswood outside the door. Suddenly the ground beneath their feet began to shake. Travis instinctively wrapped his arms around Hanna in an effort to protect her from the falling debris.


	17. Viva La Vida

**VIVA LA VIDA**

"**_To respect the dignity of a relationship also implies accepting the end when it comes. Except in my mind, except in my dreams, where the aftertaste of her still lingers."  
― André Brink_**

Sheets of rain fell onto the cold hard concrete splashing everywhere. The summer showers were unexpected but well received. Hanna adjusted her hood to protect her hair and bolted for the small covering where she could be sheltered from the rain. She knocked on the door three times waiting for him to open the door.

"Hanna," Caleb breathed when he saw her. "I thought you were with your friends in..."

"This has to stop," she cut him off.

"Come in," he ushered her inside and closed the door.

Hanna sat down on the edge of the bed. Caleb pulled up a chair and sat down across from her.

"Are you going to explain?" he asked.

"We can't do this anymore," she told him. "It's not fair to Travis...or to my kids. When I married him I made a promise. I've royally fucked up."

"Hanna, don't do this," he pleaded. "Why now? Why all of a sudden?"

"I don't know," she shrugged. "Why did you show up at my house when you did?"

"Truthfully?" he asked. She nodded. "Miranda had moved on. You told me to take care of her. I did. Then I went to find you."

"See!" she spat at him. "That's exactly why this needs to end."

"What are you talking about?" he was confused.

"No matter how much you love me and I love you," she explained, "there's always something that comes between us. First Jenna, then A, Miranda. It never ends Caleb."

"All of that is over now!" he told her. "We can be together."

"No we can't," tears started to fall. "I'm married. I have a family. They need me."

"And I don't?" he scoffed. "Hanna, you're all I have. What's so special about him?"

"Don't you dare," she spat at him. "Don't you dare compare yourself to Travis."

"Then tell me," Caleb was stern. "What does he have, that I don't?"

"He puts me first," she said calmly. "He wasn't playing ghostbusters while I was pregnant with his child."

"What?" he scoffed. "And I did? I left. You got pregnant. Don't put that on me!"

"Is that what you think?" she finally put the pieces together. "Caleb, no. I was pregnant with your child. A boy."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"You wouldn't listen," she reminded him. "I called. I texted. You ignored me."

"I'm sorry," Caleb held her. "I thought you had moved on. I went back to Rosewood and saw you pregnant with Travis. I jumped to conclusions. God, I am so sorry."

She rested her head on his shoulder. Hanna had waited over a decade to finally tell Caleb the truth, but it didn't matter anymore. The damage was done. There was no turning back time. They could only move forward.

"Does he know?" Caleb finally broke the silence.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Does he know he's raising another man's child?" he asked her.

"Caleb," the tears began to fall now. She choked out her words. "Robbie, he's only eight. I didn't have him in high school. He's Travis' son."

"Oh," he was starting to understand what she meant.

Hanna didn't know how to form the words. For the last thirteen years, she had been haunted by this decision. After high school she never spoke about him. Her friends and family knew but never brought it up. Travis was the only one who had been with her. Once a year Travis held her in his arms and let her cry until she couldn't anymore. Then they started having her own children and she slowly got better. They never talked about it again. After a while, they stopped commemorating him. They had their own family to focus on.

"We can still find him," Caleb piped up. "I found my parents. I can ask my mom about that private investigator. Hanna, we can still be a family."

"No," she shook her head. "It's not like that. We can't just find him."

"Maybe you can't," Caleb said, his words sharp like knives. "But I can."

"You can't," she finally admitted. "He's dead."

Caleb's heart stopped. In a matter of minutes he went from being a father to once again being completely and utterly alone. He lost his son before he even knew he existed. His love for Hanna wouldn't protect her anymore. He despised her for keeping this secret from him.

"I was going to tell you," she sat up to face him. "Travis convinced me. He was the one who thought you deserved to know. I had just found out I was having a boy. The next day we drove to Ravenswood. I needed a little more time so we walked around town. There was a toy store with some baby stuff. I thought I could get you a present. I don't know. A shirt that said 'best dad' or something."

All of a sudden, Caleb started to fill in the blanks. Hanna wasn't trying to keep him from their child. She had been trying to bring them together. But that stupid curse. He detested everything about Ravenswood.

"It was weird," she continued. "I felt like someone was watching me. Not like I usually felt with A. Something else. Anyway, we went in the toy shop and suddenly everything around us felt to pieces. Just the shop. The other stores were fine. Travis threw himself on top of me to try and protect the baby but it didn't help. He was born too early. Friday the thirteenth. He only lived a few minutes. I was devastated."

"She did this," Caleb breathed.

"It wasn't my fault," Hanna protested. "It took me a long time to accept it. But it was a freak accident. Faulty construction. It doesn't matter. No one's to blame. I guess it just wasn't meant to be. Just another thing standing between us and our happiness."

"I'm so sorry," he panted holding onto Hanna with all of his strength. "I never should have left you."

* * *

Caleb woke up with a start. He looked around the room. Hanna was lying in the bed next to him. She looked peaceful. He shook his head trying to rid his mind of evil images.

Then he took Hanna's hand in his. He kissed it. Caleb laid back against the pillows and turned on his side pulling Hanna as close to him as possible before falling back to sleep.

Everything was okay.


	18. Haunted

**HAUNTED**

* * *

"_It's much easier to not know things sometimes. Things change and friends leave. And life doesn't stop for anybody."  
― Stephen Chbosky_

* * *

Miranda saw Caleb lying against the pillows on his bed. He had barely spoken to her since he came back from Rosewood. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew his chances with Hanna had soured somehow. She decided it was time to give him some space and go for a walk.

She slipped out undetected and made her way toward the center of town where she was faced with a scene that made her blood boil. She knew exactly why Caleb had locked himself in his room without any plans of leaving. In front of her stood the silhouette of a petite girl with an obviously round belly fit for a woman with child.

"That's why he came back," Miranda breathed. "That little bitch cheated on him."

Miranda stood, unnoticed by those around her, across the street from Hanna. She saw another man with her. He wore a black t-shirt under a green army jacket. She could have mistook him for a soldier with his close shaved hair.

"How dare she come back here!" Miranda was furious.

She watched as the blonde grabbed his hand and pressed it to her stomach. Slowly, his face broke into a smile, the kind any proud father would make feeling his son kick for the first time. Miranda could see that from miles away. Then Hanna looked around. It was almost like she could see Miranda. She shivered. It was hard to make a ghost shiver, but Hanna had done it.

From across the street, Miranda could feel her blood boil, or at least the closest equivalent to that for ghosts. She watched as Hanna took the man's hand and dragged him into a toy shop. What happened next, Miranda couldn't even explain.

The anger she felt, her instinctive urge to protect Caleb, it manifested itself and sent a rippling wave of energy through the town square directed toward the toy shop. As soon as she realized what happened, Miranda panicked. She hadn't mean to start anything but suddenly the windows of the toy store cracked sending shards of glass everywhere. The walls collapsed and screams could be heard from inside the store. Miranda panicked. She knew it was her fault but she had no idea how to stop it.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" she screamed as she ran away trying to bring her bad energy away from the town.

"Hey!" Caleb found her running toward the cemetery.

She collapsed into a heap. Caleb wished he could comfort her, hold her, anything. She was so helpless.

"It's all my fault," she told him.

"Miranda, what's wrong?" he asked.

"I don't know," she panted. "I got angry and the whole town came crumbling down. I mean, not the whole town. Just the toy shop."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I did it," she told him. "I made it happen."

An ambulance sped past them with the sirens blaring.

"Oh fuck!" she shrieked. "What if I killed someone. Caleb, I can't control this. I'm a monster!"

Caleb peeked around the corner. He saw the ambulance parked in front of the collapsed building. He didn't want to admit it out loud but it did seem pretty supernatural that only one building was affected.

"Maybe it was an earthquake," he offered trying to console her.

"That's not helping," she told him.

"Come on," he said. "Let's go home."

"Okay," she stood up carefully.

They walked in silence. Caleb opened the front door to the house and she followed him inside. They sat in his room for hours until he fell asleep. She finally mustered up the courage to do something. She stood up and snuck into her uncle's office. There were a stack of files on his desk. One was timestamped from just hours ago. She opened it and instantly felt sick. It was all her fault. There, written in plain words, everything she needed to know about the earlier events.

_Certificate of Birth Resulting in Stillborn_

_Name: Baby boy_

_Date: Friday April 13, 2012_

_Time: 20:09_

_Mother's Maiden Name: Hanna Marin_

_Father's Name: Caleb Rivers_

Miranda swallowed hard. She had killed a baby. More importantly, she had killed Caleb's baby. For all she knew, Hanna had showed up to give him the news. Regardless, she had ruined someone's life. Hanna wasn't the bitch, she was. The door opened startling her. She turned around and saw Caleb in the doorway. As if by instinct, she slammed the file shut and dropped it in the bin.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I killed someone," she said. "I mean, he wasn't even born yet, but..."

"No," Caleb cooed. "You didn't kill anyone. It was an accident."

"How do you explain it?" she asked. "Someone is dead and it's my fault."

"You're dead," he tried to cheer her up. "It can't be that bad."

His comments didn't help. She only felt worse. He had no idea that he was going to be a father. He was completely oblivious. Miranda dropped a candle in the trash. The fire consumed the papers marking Caleb as the unborn baby's father. He could never know. She would rather let that guilt eat at her every day than give Caleb the disappointing news that she killed his unborn son.

"I'm sorry," Caleb said finally as he saw the flames erupt from the trash can. "I didn't mean to say that. Please, just calm down."

"I'm fine," she replied. "It was a mistake."

It was a mistake, a mistake she could never admit. Caleb was everything she had now. He was her friends, her family, the closest thing he would ever have to a lover. She needed him, and now that he had lost Hanna, he needed her. Maybe it was the curse, or maybe just bad luck. Either way, something brought Miranda and Caleb together. She sure as hell was not going to let anything get in the way of the only person who had ever cared for her, in life and in death. As far as she was concerned, today never happened.

* * *

**It's come to my attention that I am royally inept and managed to fuck up the handy alphabetical chronological cheat for the story. So, we're basically all SOL because even I don't even remember the correct order so feel free to interpret it as you wish. There's like one, maybe two, chapters left. When that's done I might write a new story but no promises.  
**


	19. Untouchable

**UNTOUCHABLE**

"**_Let me give my love to you.  
Let me take your hand.  
And as we walk in the dimming light  
Oh darling understand  
That everything ends..."  
― Death Cab for Cutie_**

Caleb sped down the deserted road. He was angry and thankful that no one ever ventured in or out of Ravenswood. The road was all his. He floored the pedal and thought about everything Hanna had told him.

They had been so close. She hadn't moved on. She was coming back. But now everything was ruined. Why didn't he get out of the car that day in Rosewood? It could have changed everything. He could have been a father.

He would never admit it out loud, but he had spent a lot of his teen years day dreaming about a family, his own family. Hanna was the closest thing to family he ever had. Then his mom and his dad came back into his life but it was never the same. It was already too late to try and make amends. He only had the future to look forward to.

Hanna was everything to him. He planned their whole lives together. She'd go to fashion school. He would invent a software app and sell it for millions. Then he'd buy her a beautiful house with a guest room for Ashley, because as much as Hanna had helped, Ashley had been there every step of the way.

Once they were settled, a couple years down the line he would propose with a gorgeous ring that cost him a year's salary. When she was ready they would have two kids. A boy first. Caleb would take him to football games and teach him how to build a racecar. He would be an excellent father, nothing like his own dad.

If only he had gotten out of the car that day. Hanna never would have gone to Ravenswood to find him. She wouldn't have been in danger. That town was hell incarnate. And Miranda, he had stood there while she tried to explain. She had killed his son, his last chance at happiness. It's like he was cursed. Nothing ever worked out in his favor.

He was deep in thoughts of regret when the headlights of an oncoming truck nearly blinded him. Caleb instinctively swerved off the road, his tires screeching to a halt before leaving round skid marks along the highway. His head pounded against the steering wheel and when he opened his eyes, he wasn't alone.

"Caleb," he heard his name. "Caleb, wake up."

"Miranda?" he saw the teenaged brunette in the passenger seat next to him. She looked exactly the same as he remembered. "What's going on?"

"You crashed," she explained.

"I thought I'd never see you again," he reached out and caressed her cheek.

Caleb couldn't believe it. He could feel her skin and it wasn't cold like death. She was warm and inviting. He wanted to hold her forever. Without thinking, he grabbed her waist and pulled her close. Caleb pressed his lips to hers and she reciprocated, opening her mouth a bit to let him in. Their tongues smashed together and for the first time since he'd lost her, he felt solace and comfort.

"Wait, Caleb," she pushed him away. "You're confused."

"Let's not try and understand it," he replied. "I just want to touch you, to feel your skin against mine. I've wanted this for so long."

"It's not what you think, Caleb," she explained. "We can't stay like this."

"Stop talking," he breathed.

His lips were on hers once again. He didn't know what was happening but he didn't care. For once, the forces of the universe were letting him win. If he couldn't have Hanna, at least he still had Miranda. But now he could touch her. He could hold her in his arms and she didn't turn into smoke.

"I'm serious," she pushed him away a second time. "This isn't forever. It's only a matter of time before you have to make a decision."

"Can't we just have this?" he pleaded. "Just one minute?"

"You know," she sighed. "Maybe in another lifetime it could work out between us, but you need to go back."

"Please," he held her hand. "Don't let me go. You're all I have."

"No, Caleb," she explained. "I took everything away from you. I took your perfect life in Rosewood, I took your baby, I ruined things between you and Hanna. I'm toxic. You need to move on."

"It wasn't your fault," he explained. "You were only trying to protect me..."

"Seriously," she cut him off. "If you don't snap out of this, you'll end up dead like me. You'll be wandering around Ravenswood unnoticed. Telepathically slamming doors and knocking over shelves just to feel alive. You don't deserve that."

"Caleb," he heard Hanna's voice in the distance.

"Listen," Miranda pressed her finger to her mouth.

"Caleb! Caleb wake up!" Hanna whispered.

"Follow her voice," Miranda told him. "You need to wake up."

"No," Caleb shut his eyes.

Once again he was kissing Miranda. He wanted to focus all of his thoughts on how much he loved and cared for her, but instead his mind flashed with images of his life with Hanna and suddenly a flash of light, like an oncoming car, glared in front of him.

"Caleb," Miranda pushed him away. "You need to go back. Time is running out."

"I don't care," he breathed.

"Caleb, Caleb wake up," he heard Hanna's voice. "Caleb please! I need you!"

"Hanna?" he called out.

"You have to go!" Miranda told him urgently. "Caleb, this is your last chance. Time is running out."

"No," he panted. "I can't leave you."

"I'll be fine," she kissed him quickly. "Don't worry about me. Maybe in another life..."

Then Miranda disappeared into thin air. Caleb woke up with a start. He was safely in bed. White curtains swayed from the wind coming in through the open window. Birds chirped outside. He looked over and saw her in bed next to him. He breathed a sigh of relief. He was safe again. Everything was okay. He just needed her by his side again.


	20. Change

**CHANGE**

**"I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they're right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together."  
— Marilyn Monroe**

Hanna slouched in her desk while Ezra droned on about _Jekyll and Hyde_. She didn't care that he was "board shorts" nor did she care whether or not he and Aria were on speaking terms. She hadn't even bothered to open her book. Right now, she had her own problems to deal with.

Former queen bee and homecoming princess, Hanna Marin was hiding a secret from the rest of the world. Her mom had figured it out almost immediately but everyone else was still in the dark. She hadn't even considered how she was going to tell Caleb. They hadn't talked in over a month and this wasn't something she thought was appropriate to send in a text message.

She was nearing her third month and she had to make a decision soon. A month ago she was worried that her best friend's boyfriend slash English teacher was trying to murder her. Now she was on the fast track to motherhood. It was just like Caleb to knock her up and then leave town. Maybe she wouldn't even tell him. After all, he abandoned her in favor of a ghost. He wasn't exactly cut out for fatherhood with a mentality like that.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a feeling only comparable to her internal organs twisting inside of her. She swallowed hard trying to catch her breath and ignore the urge to blow chunks all over the classroom. But this time, it was the real thing. Hanna bolted from her seat and ran out of the classroom. She sped through the deserted halls and pushed aside the wooden door. She found an open stall and knelt in front of the bowl unleashing the hell that spilled from her stomach.

She wiped her mouth and sat there catching her breath. Then the bell rang. She stood up and flushed the toilet. She rinsed her mouth out in the sink and stared at her reflection as she washed her hands. She looked tired, not like the pregnancy glow everyone always raved about. The bathroom started to fill up with girls checking their lip gloss. Hanna managed to slip past them undetected but she wasn't ready for what waited outside the door. Hanna stepped in the hallway and saw him leaning against her locker. Travis a canvas bag that contained all of her books. He flashed her a bright smile in an attempt to cheer her up.

"Hey," he called out. "Fitz asked me to bring these for you."

"Thanks," she tugged at her lock. It wouldn't budge. She slammed it. "Fuck!"

"Allow me," he offered flicking it gently against the metal door. It opened wide.

"Seems like you've got the magic touch," Hanna said sarcastically shoving the tote in her locker.

"Are you okay?" he asked Hanna as she leaned against her locker. "Can I give you a lift home?"

"What's that gonna cost me?" she scoffed.

"Come on," he sighed. "I'm just trying to be a nice guy."

"That's what they all say," she groaned.

"Hey," he looked concerned. "What's going on?"

She felt her eyes well up with tears. This was too big a secret for her to handle alone. She didn't know why, but somehow in this moment, Travis seemed like the perfect person to confide in. She rolled her eyes and unzipped her sweatshirt revealing her swollen abdomen. It was subtle but indubitably foreign to her petite frame. He knew, without her saying a word, that she was pregnant.

"Oh Hanna," he cooed. "What are you going to do?"

She couldn't answer. This was the same question she asked herself every day. The one her mother was begging her to answer. She didn't know what she would do. Tears fell in silent streams from her eyes. She was hopeless.

"It's okay," Travis wrapped his arms around her. "It's all going to be okay."

She buried her head in his t-shirt and let the tears fall. Travis didn't seem to care that she was ruining his shirt. He held her tightly and rubbed soothing circles across her back. It was the least he could do, the only way he knew how to comfort her. She didn't want to be bombarded with questions. She just needed to know that she wasn't alone.

Hanna was too proud to ever let anyone see her cry. But pregnant Hanna didn't give a fuck. She was miserable and tired and alone. She embraced any opportunity to not have to think about the baby ruining her figure and making her crave carbs.

Finally, she pulled away. She wiped her tears on the back of her sleeve and zipped up her sweatshirt. She didn't say a word but her eyes told Travis exactly how grateful she was. His face broke into a kind smile that let her know she wasn't alone. Then she kissed his cheek.

"Thank you," she breathed. "So, about that ride..."

"Let's go," he smiled pulling his keys out of his pocket.

They walked to his silver truck in the parking lot and he helped her into the front seat. Then he ran around and hopped in before starting the car. He pulled out of his spot and got on the road.

"Where to?" he asked.

"Can we just drive?" she asked.

"You got it," he smiled revving the engine.

So that's what they did. Travis drove along an abandoned road, neither of them saying a word. He wondered what she was thinking about, but mostly he just drove until the sun started to set. As the sky turned bright pink, he pulled off into the woods.

"Where are we going?" Hanna asked as he drove up a steep hill.

"You'll see," he told her.

Travis parked his truck at the top of a lookout. Then he cut the engine and hopped out before opening her door. He helped Hanna onto the ground and they climbed into the truck bed.

"Gorgeous, right?" he said as he handed her a thick blanket.

"You can see all of Rosewood," she gushed looking out over the town.

"I come up here sometimes," he told her, "when I need to get away."

"Thank you," Hanna took his hand. "This is exactly what I needed today."

Hanna rested her head on his shoulder and he wrapped an arm around her back. They sat like that in silence watching the sun disappear behind the mountains. She didn't feel hopeless and alone anymore. If anything, she wanted to live now more than ever. She owed it to herself to be happy, with or without Caleb.


	21. Sad Beautiful Tragic

**SAD BEAUTIFUL TRAGIC**

"**I always had this idea that you should never give up a happy middle in the hopes of a happy ending, because there is no such thing as a happy ending. Do you know what I mean? There is so much to lose."  
― John Green**

The morning sun filtered in through the white curtains and played against the red wall. Hanna rubbed her eyes open and rolled over laying her arm across his chest. She loved waking up next to him. It felt so right. He murmured in his sleep and stirred a bit before sliding an arm around her waist. She felt delicate and small in his arms. In minutes she was fast asleep once again. And the morning continued as such.

One would wake up, remember the other was there and then they would routinely fall asleep again until they had wasted the morning away. Finally, she had enough and her stomach grumbled making a deafening noise. She slipped out from his warm embrace throwing aside the covers and tiptoeing into the kitchen wearing just a white t-shirt she had swiped from his closet.

She opened the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of eggs. She placed a saucepan on the stove and added some oil. Once the oil bubbled and blistered she added a handful of chopped vegetables and meat. When they were browned, she poured a wash of scrambled eggs on top.

"Smells good," Caleb stepped into the kitchen.

Hanna didn't need to look up. His hand rested on her waist in a matter of seconds and his face rested in the crook of her neck. He smelled sweet and musky, like vanilla. She could inhale his scent all day. It was intoxicating.

"Hungry?" she asked, flipping the eggs over in the pan.

"Starving," he replied.

"Grab me some plates?" she pointed to the cabinet.

Dutifully he pulled out two red plates. Hanna placed an omelette on each one and then turned off the stove. She grabbed two glasses from the cupboard dug through the fridge for a bottle of orange juice and cheap champagne.

"Are we celebrating?" he asked sitting on a stool.

"Every day is a celebration when we're together," she replied.

"I'll toast to that," he took a sip.

Hanna hopped up onto the kitchen counter. Her legs dangled over the edge and brushed Caleb's arm as he ate. He loved the mornings he spent with her when he didn't need to go into work. When Hanna was done, she placed her plate back down and slid it away. Caleb winked at her and placed his own plate on top of hers.

He took her leg in his hand and kissed it. She blushed. He lifted her leg and then slid it over his head so she was straddling him. She bit her lip knowing exactly what would come next. Caleb kissed her inner thigh. He slid her t-shirt up just a bit to gain access. He took his time letting her build up anticipation. He left a trail of supple kisses along her other thigh, knowing the exact placement that would send chills through her entire body.

"Don't tease me," she told him.

That was his cue. He spread her legs apart and slid his hands under her top. She felt a strong grasp on either side of her waist and inhaled deeply as his stubble grazed her inner thigh. His tongue is met with a wet embrace and he smiles against her skin. He gets off on it. As his lips move, his hands begin to wander until he's firmly grasped her breasts. She curses at him and whimpers letting Caleb know he was right on target. Her toes curl as every muscle in her body tenses. He's done it. Hanna's head falls back in defeat and Caleb stands up. Leaning over her, he plants his lips on hers.

Her legs wrap around his waist and he lifts her up into his arms without breaking their kiss. She hops off the counter and guides him into the bathroom. A chill shoots through them as their feet move from the hardwood to the cold tile. Hanna slides her shirt off and turns on the faucet in the shower before stepping inside. Caleb doesn't hesitate to rip off his boxers and follows closely behind. He presses her against the wall so the stream of water washes against his back. He kisses her from head to toe.

"I'm cold," the words pour out of Hanna's mouth like syrup.

"I'll keep you warm," he smirked.

"I have a better idea," she retorted pushing him against the wall.

She reaches down and secures a tight grip on him. She smiles when she sees the color drain from his face. It's her turn now. She slides down so she's kneeling on the tile floor. He hands are buried deep in her hair and she knocks her head back and forth until he is almost there. Then she stops. Hanna stands up and rests her hand on his shoulder. She hikes her leg around his waist and they slide together like two pieces of a puzzle.

"Fuck, Hanna!" he groans sliding against her wet skin.

"Don't stop!" she whispers feeling him slow down.

Caleb grabs her waist and pins her against the other wall. His hands clench her ass and he drives into her repeatedly. He's almost there and she knows it. She exhales knowing she's accomplished her goal and lets Caleb collapse in a heap, catching him in her arms. He wraps his arms around her waist and kisses her forehead. He holds her tight and she rests her head on his shoulder letting the water drip from her soaking wet hair.

Her left hand caresses his cheek. The platinum ring is no longer there. It doesn't snag in his hair or brush his chin. He is no longer blinded by the sparkling diamond when it catches the light in the bedroom. He can't even remember the last time he saw her wear it. The tan line on her fourth finger is faded now and hardly noticeable. In a few days, it will be completely indiscernible, like it never existed at all. They'll never talk about it. Her other life. It's just them now. Hanna and Caleb.


End file.
